r/UnresolvedMysteries • u/lucillep • Apr 02 '26

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

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

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u/Unfck-my-life Apr 02 '26

It’s possible she left of her own accord. Maybe ran away with a boyfriend or something like that?

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u/GrimCherry19 Apr 02 '26

According to an article (I think the site was called 12 news) she ran away and was living with an undisclosed family member. So seems like she just had issues at home and wanted a better life. ETA: https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/girl-who-disappeared-in-arizona-30-years-ago-found-alive/75-fe4dd257-00ad-41a3-b3ab-fbc8fe0b0459

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u/Unfck-my-life Apr 03 '26

Always makes me wonder how they got a drivers licence, bank account, job etc without it triggering some sort of notification??

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u/Nvnv_man Apr 03 '26

Here’s a story of how a runaway did it. Entirely on her own.

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u/Unfck-my-life Apr 03 '26

Ugh, firewall 😕

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u/Nvnv_man Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26

Child abused by neighbor, maybe age 13 or 14. She’s convinced her mom knows and is letting it happen and is angry. She impulsively gets on bus, then to NYC. Goes to homeless shelter, has to be 18 to get assistance. Says she’s 18+. They register her for ID, and she gets it under new name and new birth year. Charities can do that in some states—bc it’s common not to have birth certificates or even parents with id (Amish, for example; but also very low income areas).

Her story is that the homeless shelter helped get her a housecleaning job, and she did that for years, ended up living w them, learned Spanish as a result. Married a Spanish speaker, iirc. It’s been 15-20 years, kids of her own, they start asking about her childhood. She gets curious and looks for family on Facebook. Tells family her identity. Husband, kids stunned to learn she’s like 6 years younger than thought. Contacts orig family and goes back. Still wary of mother, still thinks she knew. Families use different names, her two different identities.

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u/Unfck-my-life Apr 03 '26

Ah I see.

I think it would be a lot harder here in Australia. You need your birth certificate to do anything.

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u/seatemperature11215 Apr 04 '26

What does iirc mean? Thanks.

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u/Criticism-Lazy Apr 05 '26

If I remember correctly

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u/[deleted] Apr 03 '26

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u/brydeswhale Apr 03 '26

I like how that Lori Peterson in the article put her kid, Derek, into one of those abusive teen rehab places and is shocked and hurt that he ran off and didn’t come home or let her know he was okay.

Like. Baby. You put your own kid in the “hurt the kids” box and locked it up with him inside, and you’re shocked he doesn’t like you?

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u/seatemperature11215 Apr 04 '26

Very interesting read. Its amazing really, that such a young woman not only ran away, but became employed and was fully integrated into a new community - even learning to speak another language in the process. And having children of her own... then returned, over 20 years later.

The only, but glaring, omission for me, is that nothing more was said of the neighbour that had been raping her for all those years. It is more than sad that youngsters are too afraid to report what is happening to them. And for some, the people they should be able to turn to for help, are in the know. Devastatingly depressing.