A California girl, Karen Rojas, who vanished at age 5 in 2020, has been found alive nearly six years later — over 2,600 miles away, living under a different name.
Karen disappeared from Duarte, California, while the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) was already investigating her case. Her mother, who had custody, reportedly stopped communicating with authorities. She was later listed as missing by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
A tip in 2026 led authorities to Washington County, North Carolina, where Karen had been enrolled in school under an alias. The now-11-year-old was taken into protective custody and is safe.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not confirmed any arrests or details about her guardian during her disappearance.