Arizona mother by no means stopped on the lookout for her lacking daughter. She confirmed up 4 years later in Montana

HAVRE, Mont. — When Alicia Navarro disappeared in 2019 from her residence in a Phoenix suburb days earlier than her fifteenth birthday, she left a signed observe for her household promising she would return.

“I will probably be again, I swear,” the observe learn. “I am sorry.”

Believing she would preserve her promise, Jessica Nunez by no means stopped looking for her daughter.

She paid for a billboard advert in Mexico that featured a photograph of her daughter for a yr. She purchased 10 extra advertisements in Las Vegas. She spoke at occasions and gave numerous media interviews to lift consciousness concerning the case. She left flyers throughout Glendale — at salons, truck stops, parks.

Nunez’s yearslong search got here to an finish Sunday when her daughter, now 18, walked right into a small-town Montana police station close to the Canadian border and recognized herself because the lacking teenager.

Police stated Navarro informed them she hadn’t been harmed, wasn’t being held and will come and go as she happy. She doesn’t face any felony prices, they added.

Investigators are actually making an attempt to find out what occurred to Navarro after disappearing at age 14 and the way she ended up in Havre, Montana, greater than 1,300 miles (2,090 kilometers) away from her residence.

Through the years, Nunez had raised issues that Navarro, who was recognized as on the autism spectrum, could have been lured away by somebody she met on-line.

Regulation enforcement officers took a person into custody at an condo just some blocks from the Havre police station on Wednesday night time, in line with a number of witnesses interviewed by The Related Press.

As many as 10 heavily-armed uniformed and undercover officers confirmed up about 8 p.m. and took away in handcuffs the person who had been dwelling within the condo, stated Rick Lieberg, who lives throughout the road.

A younger lady later emerged from the condo who Lieberg stated he had not beforehand seen. He stated the girl resembled {a photograph} of Navarro that was launched by police.

“She got here out, talked to the officers, then two women pulled up after which she bought right into a automotive with them they usually left,” Lieberg stated.

Officers remained on the scene for a number of hours, taking photos and doing different work contained in the condo, Lieberg stated. He stated the younger lady returned to the condo constructing with the 2 girls on Thursday, however he didn’t see her go into the condo.

A second witness, Jonathan Michaelson, who lives subsequent door to the condo, stated he was questioned on the scene by a plainclothes police officer who stated he was from Arizona and requested if Michaelson had ever seen a lady on the condo subsequent door. He stated he had not.

“If she was in that condo, I’m shocked I by no means noticed her,” Michaelson stated.

Glendale police Lt. Scott Waite stated this week they had been wanting into all of the potential situations that might have led to Navarro’s disappearance, together with kidnapping.

“As a lot as we’d wish to say that is the tip,” Waite stated at a information convention Wednesday, “we all know that is solely the start of the place this investigation will go.”

Nunez declined an interview request from The Related Press. However for years, she had documented her efforts to search out her daughter on a Facebook web page titled “Discovering Alicia.”

In an emotional video seen greater than 200,000 instances because it was posted Wednesday, Nunez informed her tens of 1000’s of followers: “For everybody who has lacking family members, I would like you to make use of this case for example. Miracles do exist. By no means lose hope and all the time struggle.”

Nunez had amassed a loyal following on social media all through the years whereas sharing inspirational quotes, photographs of Navarro as a younger baby and posts addressed on to her daughter.

“Alicia I do know you’ll fulfill what you promised,” Nunez wrote in a single submit. “You can be again.”

Individuals throughout the U.S. reached out to the Arizona mom to ask how they may assist, creating an off-the-cuff community of volunteers. They shared photographs and data via the Fb web page.

Glendale police stated this week that they acquired 1000’s of ideas over time.

Authorities in each Montana and Arizona haven’t stated how lengthy they consider Navarro had been in Havre earlier than strolling into the police station. The city of about 9,200 individuals is surrounded by farmland and is north of the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.

In a brief video clip that Glendale police stated was taken shortly after Navarro arrived on the Montana police station, she could be heard telling authorities, “Nobody harm me.” In one other quick video, Navarro thanked the police.

“Thanks for providing assist to me,” she stated.

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Yamat reported from Las Vegas.