Mother of Reappeared Arizona Teenager Asks for Privacy as Police Continue Investigation

The mother of an Arizona teenager who resurfaced after four years of disappearance is asking the public to give her family privacy as the police continue their investigation.

Jessica Nuñez, the mother of 18-year-old Alicia Navarro, made her plea in a video posted on the Facebook page “Finding Alicia” Sunday. She thanked the public for their support over the past few years and asked them to focus on the fact that her daughter is alive.

Navarro disappeared without a trace on September 15, 2019, at the age of 14. Last week, Arizona police announced that she had shown up alone and unharmed in a small town about 40 miles from the Canadian border and identified herself.

However, since her reappearance, online and media speculation about what happened to Navarro has now turned into harassment, according to her mother. Police said the investigation into her disappearance remains ongoing, but that she is not facing any criminal charges.

Nunez urged the public to “move on” and warned that the questions surrounding her daughter’s disappearance have taken a “dangerous” turn. She expressed her gratitude for the support they have received and asked for privacy as the investigation continues.