The girl was located after authorities received a tip revealing she had been enrolled in the Washington County School District “under an alias name,” officials said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
FLORIDA MOM ACCUSED OF ABANDONING DAUGHTER AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS TO GO DRINKING AT BAR<\/a><\/p>\n The victim was just 5 years old when she was last seen at her home in Duarte, California on June 2, 2020, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. (NCMEC)<\/p>\n Investigators worked in tandem with multiple agencies from North Carolina to California to safely find the girl and take her into protective custody.<\/p>\n FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X<\/a><\/p>\n The girl was just 5 years old when she was last seen in Duarte, California<\/a>, on June 2, 2020, according to<\/a> the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).\u00a0<\/p>\n SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n 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)<\/p>\n 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\u2019s Department (LASD) said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n SEND US A TIP HERE<\/a><\/p>\n The victim\u2019s mother had custody<\/a> and stopped communicating with DCFS workers, leading authorities to believe she was responsible for the child\u2019s disappearance, according to LASD.\u00a0<\/p>\n “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<\/a> said.<\/p>\n LISTEN TO THE NEW ‘CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO’ PODCAST<\/a><\/p>\n The development comes just three months after the NCMEC issued an updated age progression photo of the missing child<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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)<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB<\/a><\/p>\n Authorities have not made any arrests in the girl\u2019s disappearance, according to officials.\u00a0<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n The Washington County Sheriff\u2019s Office and LASD did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital\u2019s request for comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n Julia Bonavita is a U.S. Writer for Fox News Digital and a Fox Flight Team drone pilot. You can follow her at @juliabonavita13<\/a> on all platforms and send story tips to julia.bonavita@fox.com.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/missing-california-girl_01.jpg\")
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