Missing Child Discovered Safe Years Later, Living Under Alias: Authorities

A young girl abducted from Southern California nearly six years ago has been discovered safe, living under an assumed name on the opposite coast, authorities have announced.

The girl, now 11 years old, was located in Washington County, North Carolina, on Tuesday, as reported by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

The discovery came after authorities received a tip indicating the child had been enrolled in the Washington County School District using a false identity, officials revealed.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the girl was only 5 years old when she vanished from her home in Duarte, California, on June 2, 2020.

Law enforcement agencies across North Carolina and California collaborated to safely recover the girl and place her in protective custody.

The girl was just 5 years old when she was last seen in Duarte, California on June 2, 2020, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). 

The victim was found living in North Carolina under a fake name just three months after the NCMEC issued an updated age progression photo of the missing child. (NCMEC)

She was reported missing to California authorities. At the time of her disappearance, she was the subject of a separate investigation involving the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) said in a statement.

The victim’s mother had custody and stopped communicating with DCFS workers, leading authorities to believe she was responsible for the child’s disappearance, according to LASD. 

“These are very rare occurrences to have such a positive outcome on such an old case as this, but it reminds us that through hard work, and dedication and cooperation, stories with positive outcomes like these can happen,” the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said.

The development comes just three months after the NCMEC issued an updated age progression photo of the missing child. 

The victim was found after authorities received a tip that she was enrolled as a student in the Washington County School District in North Carolina on March 6, 2026, officials said. (Google Maps)

“After six years, the recovery of [the victim] is an incredible moment for everyone who has worked to bring her home,” John Bischoff, who oversees NCMEC’s Missing Children Division, said. “Her recovery reflects the persistence and close coordination between law enforcement and NCMEC and our shared commitment to never give up on a missing child.”

Authorities have not made any arrests in the girl’s disappearance, according to officials. 

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and LASD did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.