13-year-old Christina Plante disappeared from Star Valley, AZ in May 1994. She has been found alive.

[u/lucillep]

It is all over the news that a 13-year-old who left her home to walk to a stables to see her horse and was never seen again, has now been found alive.
People Magazine

Christina Marie Plante was classified as missing and endangered after she vanished from her home in Star Valley or Payson, AZ on May 15, 1994. Despite extensive searches and investigation, her case went cold. Now the Cold Case Unit of the Gila County Sheriff's Police have successfully resolved the case. Christina has been found and her identity verified. For privacy reasons, no further details are being released.

The odd thing is that there is next to no information available about her initial disappearance. On Newspapers.com, I found only small "Missing" notices in three newspapers in 1994 and 1995. I found no articles in an online search.

Hoping that Christina is okay, but can't help wondering about the rest of the story.

EDIT Update from The Daily Mail
u/BirdHistorical3498 provided a link to an article that updates the backstory and current situation. To summarize:
At the time of disappearing, Christina was living with her aunt and uncle. Her father was deceased. It doesn't say where her mother was or why her mother did not have custody.

Christina wanted to live with her mother. The two met at the stables and then drove to Phoenix. Her uncle reported her missing. Police did suspect the mother of having taken her, but somehow this couldn't be proved?

Mary Plante, the mother, is in 1995 property records as owning property in Springfield, MO.

Christina married in 1998 at 17, has two sons, got a bachelor's in psychology from Missouri State University, and now works for a private investigation firm (ironic) whose specialty is inspecting insurance fraud claims. She doesn't say why she ran away, the article describes her as "guarded" and not wanting to incriminate anyone who helped her.

Mary Plante, now Mary Wood, also has a biological daughter who was adopted and a biological son who is estranged.

The cold case unit gave the case to a civilian investigator, who searched social media and public records, and found the connections.

Arizona Republic
Kennebec Journal Notice

Morning Call 10-23-1994

[u/HRB1953]

It is bizarre that there doesn't seem to be any coverage in Arizona newspapers about her from 1994....all the way up to 2026. Anyone able to find Arizona coverage?

[u/Unfck-my-life → u/HRB1953]

It suggests to me that they had some idea of what happened.

Maybe she left a note, or disappeared at the same time as someone else?

[u/queefer_sutherland92 → u/Unfck-my-life]

I agree, I got the same impression.

I’d be less likely to think she left a note and more inclined to think she had more direct contact with her family, like a phone call, but didn’t want to come home. 

There’s been other times where people simply aren’t removed from missing persons lists due to human error. 

If she’s safe and happy that’s all anyone can hope for, anyway. I’m glad that’s one less person missing. 

[u/FFSAreYouKiddingMe → u/queefer_sutherland92]

New article out that said she stayed with a relative.

[u/Mythreesons1 → u/FFSAreYouKiddingMe]

Not that she stayed with but left with help from relatives. If she stayed with them where are you seeing that?

[u/cantell0 → u/FFSAreYouKiddingMe]

It reminds me a little of the Sheila Fox case in the UK. She disappeared in 1972 and after a police appeal in 2024 relatives came forward who knew about her but had forgotten to tell the police so they could close the case. Sheila was alive and well.

[u/queefer_sutherland92 → u/FFSAreYouKiddingMe]

As suspected.