A young girl who had been missing from Southern California for almost six years has been found safe and sound on the other side of the country. Authorities announced that she was living under a false identity.

On Tuesday, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina revealed that the now 11-year-old had been discovered there. A crucial tip pointed them to the local school district, where she was enrolled under a different name.

At the tender age of five, the girl disappeared from her home in Duarte, California on June 2, 2020. This case captured the attention of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which has been instrumental in the search.

To ensure her safe recovery, investigators collaborated with several agencies across North Carolina and California. This joint effort ultimately led to her being placed in protective custody, marking the end of a long and arduous search.

Investigators worked in tandem with multiple agencies from North Carolina to California to safely find the girl and take her into 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.