Duarte girl kidnapped in 2020 at 5 years old found safe in North Carolina

An 11-year-old girl who was abducted from Duarte in 2020 has been found safe more than five years later in North Carolina, according to law enforcement officials.

The child, identified as Karen Rojas, was located on Tuesday after investigators determined she may have been living in another state under an assumed identity. Authorities confirmed she is now safe and has been taken into protective custody.

The discovery marks a rare positive outcome in a long-running child abduction case that began when she was just five years old.

Table of Contents

1. Overview of the Case
2. How Authorities Located the Missing Girl
3. Timeline of the Abduction and Recovery
4. Key Agencies Involved in the Investigation
5. Case Summary Table
6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Overview of the Case

Karen Rojas was reported kidnapped on June 2, 2020, from the city of Duarte in Southern California. At the time, she was only five years old.

For years, investigators continued searching for leads in the case. Authorities recently received information suggesting that the child could be living in North Carolina, prompting a coordinated investigation between multiple law enforcement agencies.

Officials confirmed that the girl, now 11 years old, was found alive and safe.

How Authorities Located the Missing Girl

The investigation progressed after officials from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services alerted authorities in North Carolina that the missing child might be located there.

Local officers from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office then began working with several agencies to locate the girl.

Investigators later discovered that she had been enrolled in a local school using an alias. After confirming her identity, officers safely took the child into protective custody.

Officials described the outcome as rare but encouraging, emphasizing that persistence and inter-agency cooperation played a critical role.

Timeline of the Abduction and Recovery

Key Agencies Involved in the Investigation

Case Summary

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Who is the girl found in North Carolina?

The child is Karen Rojas, who was kidnapped in 2020 from Duarte, California.

Q2: How long was she missing?

She was missing for approximately five years, from 2020 until she was located in 2026.

Q3: How was she discovered?

Authorities learned she might be living in North Carolina and coordinated with local law enforcement, who located her while she was attending school under an alias.

Q4: Is the child safe now?

Yes. Law enforcement confirmed she was found safe and taken into protective custody.

Q5: Will more details about the case be released?

Because the victim is a minor, officials said additional details may remain limited to protect her privacy.