Arizona girl missing since 2019 walks into small Montana police station near Canadian border

Alicia Navarro vanished at 14-years-old and had not been heard from in nearly four years.

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GLENDALE, Ariz. A high-functioning autistic teen vanished from her home in Arizona nearly four years ago. Now she’s been located safe in Montana after she walked into a small town police station and asked to be removed from the list of missing children, according to authorities.

Alicia Navarro, who went missing from her residence in Glendale, Arizona days before her 15th birthday nearly four years ago, has been found in Montana. Police on Wednesday afternoon confirmed the girl, now 18-years-old, is safe, 13 News reported. 

“Alicia Navarro has been located. She is by all accounts, safe. She is by all accounts healthy, and she is by all accounts happy,” said Jose Miguel Santiago with the Glendale Police Department.

Although officials did not specify the town where Navarro was located, Santiago said it’s a very small community in Montana about 40 miles south of the Canadian border.

Navarro was described as a high-functioning autistic teen who left home in the middle of the night, September 15, 2019, according to 13 News. Then-14-years-old, Navarro wrote a note to her parents while they slept before disappearing. She had not been heard from until this week.

The note said, “I ran away. I will be back. I swear. I’m sorry,” KTAR News reported.

Alicia Navarro at 14At 14-years-old, Alicia Navarro left home in 2019 while her parents slept and never returned. (Missing Kids)

Law enforcement authorities said Navarro, now 18, walked into a Montana police station alone and identified herself as a missing teen.

Alicia Navarro stands in front of a door in a photo taken at the local police station this week. Alicia Navarro, 18, (pictured just days ago) walked into a small town police station in Montana this week. (Glendale Police Department)

Jessica Nunez is Navarro’s mother. She said she found out about Navarro being located about an hour before the Glendale Police Department news conference. She posted a video on Facebook explaining the joy she is experiencing now that her daughter has been located.

“I, first of all, want to give glory to God for answering my prayers and for this miracle,” she said. “For everyone who has missing loved ones, I want you to use this case as an example that miracles do exist and never lose hope and always fight. … I don’t have details but the important thing is that she is alive. I want to thank the community and God for all that you have done.”

Once notified of Navarro’s presence, Glendale police immediately responded to the area in Montana and are investigating the developments in this case. The agency is being assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI.

Glendale detectives are reportedly confident the young lady is Navarro, 13 News reported. 

“I would ask patience, not only for us as law enforcement in this investigation, but patience for Alicia and for her family,” said Lt. Scott Waite of the Glendale Police Department. “We can only imagine what she’s going through, mentally, emotionally, as well as her family, and as much as we’d like to say this is the end, this is probably only the beginning of where this investigation will go.”

Investigators have not said if the girl was staying with anyone in the local area of Montana. Police stress that she is not in any kind of trouble and has been extremely cooperative with detectives.


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