Such stories don't always have happy endings -- but this one does. Ali was found last night and is reportedly safe and sound.
Details and photos below.
As we reported, Christine Duis, Ali's mom, reached out to local media in an effort to find her daughter. The two of them are seen in this photo from the Help find Ali Ponte aka Alexandra Renee Ponte Facebook page:
After Woodland Park police were unable to locate Ali, the FBI pitched in. But the agency was unable to locate her via her cell phone, presumably because the battery had died.On Saturday morning, Ali's friends, family and loved ones organized a search; she was last seen headed to Memorial Park, near her home. However, the effort was unsuccessful.
Then, last night, a breakthrough: The Woodland Park police reportedly tweeted confirmation that Ali had been located.
This information was subsequently confirmed by Duis on the aforementioned Facebook page. She writes:
Ali has been found alive and well and is home with us this evening. Thank you all for your help. Prayers. Support. Thank you for this privacy during this time. We will update as we can. Please give us some time.The development is graphically depicted in this revised version of a flier distributed in the wake of Ali's disappearance. We wish the reunited family well.-- Chrissy.
Continue for our previous coverage of the search for Alexandra "Ali" Ponte. Original post, 11:56 a.m. September 11: Plenty of parents have had fights over something their kids posted on Facebook. But in the case of Woodland Park's Christine Duis, such an argument has had unforeseen and distressing repercussions.
Duis's daughter, fourteen-year-old Alexandra "Ali" Ponte, split after the spat and has not been seen for a week. Local law enforcement is actively involved in searching for Ali, and now, the FBI has gotten involved. Details and photos below.
The main repository for information about Ali, who reportedly said she was headed to Memorial Park in her hometown when she was last seen on Wednesday evening, September 4, is the Help find Ali Ponte aka Alexandra Renee Ponte Facebook page, launched on Monday. The "About" section states: "Ali is 14 yrs old and she has been missing since Sept 4 2013. She is 5'5" and weighs 115 lbs. Last seen in the Woodland Park, CO. Please help find her."
Among the items shared to date are photos like this one....
...and this one.... ...as well as posters featuring a detailed description: Also included are posts like this one:If any of Ali's friends are reading this and might know or remember the tiniest detail we ask that you reach out and share that. Please don't fear judgement or being in trouble. All we want to do is find Ali safe. The littlest thing could make the biggest difference. If you want to inbox us here even, the administrator's of the page will be sure the info gets to the right person to assist in finding Ali.The Woodland Park Police Department remains on the case -- contact Detective Sean Goings at 719-687-9262 with any information -- and according to 7News, officers there don't believe foul play was involved. However, the family has also hired private investigator Jan Dell, who can be reached at 719-231-8921. And the FBI is getting involved, with one goal said to be tracking Ali's cell phone.
Meanwhile, Duis posted the following photo about two hours ago.
Accompanying the photo is a note that reads: "This is the most recent picture I have of Ali. This is how she wears her hair. Please keep looking for her and call her name if you think you see her."To visit the Help find Ali Ponte Facebook page, click here.
More from our News archive circa December 2012: "Missing teen among hundreds of Thornton runaways each year -- but her story ends happily."
