Girl who vanished four years ago aged 14 after running away from home walks into police station 2,000 miles away
27 July 2023, 09:22
A girl who vanished aged 14 and went missing for four years has turned up at a police station in the US.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Alicia Navarro ran away from her home in Glendale, Arizona, leaving a note to her sleeping parents saying she would return.
But she disappeared for four years before turning up aged 18 in Montana, about 2,000 miles away.
Officers have confirmed her identity and she is in good health, Glendale Police said.
She has been reunited with her mother, which the force said was "emotionally overwhelming". They are now investigating where she disappeared to.
Her mother, Jessica Nunez, said her return shows "miracles do exist".
Navarro vanished a week before her 15th birthday. Before she disappeared, she asked to stay home and they visited a chocolate factory, where she appeared to be happy.
Her mother fears she was taken by someone she met online.
Read more: Kevin Spacey 'capable of mounting Hollywood comeback' after being cleared of sex assault charges
"Knowing the way my daughter's personality is, I don't think that she would have fallen for that," Nunez said.
"This person probably took a while to be able to gain [her] trust."
Officer Jose Miguel Santiago said: "I can't even begin to express to you all the pride that I personally have in the men and women here at our police department.
"Since her disappearance, our men and women here have been working tirelessly around the clock to not only bring closure to this family, but to make sure Alicia gets everything she possibly needs.
"She is very apologetic to what she has put her mother though. And she understands that she has caused a lot of pain to her mother, and it was not intentional on her behalf, and she is hopeful that they can have a relationship."
