Missing seven-year-old girl found alive in Ecuador’s Pastaza province

Sandy Fernanda Tseman Shakaim, a seven-year-old girl reported missing in Ecuador's Morona Santiago province, has been found alive in Pastaza.

The Fiscalía General del Estado confirmed on Sunday, Sept. 6, that Sandy was located in Shell, in the Mera canton. It did not disclose the circumstances of the discovery or the exact place where authorities found her.

Sandy disappeared on Sept. 2 from the La Cruz neighborhood in Sucúa. Her family noticed she was missing during the day. Prosecutors said she had left home with her 13-year-old sister, Cristel Belinda Suárez Mayancha. Preliminary inquiries indicated that the older sister had argued with their mother before the disappearance.

The Ministry of the Interior and the Fiscalía activated Ecuador's Emilia Alert on Sept. 4 to expand the search. The National Police also maintained a nationwide priority search protocol, with specialized units working to establish the girl's whereabouts.

The Emilia Alert, created in Ecuador in 2018, supports rapid searches for missing children and adolescents considered at high risk. During the operation, authorities asked the public to share only official notices and provide information through the free 1800 DELITO hotline. The search ended when prosecutors confirmed that Sandy had been found alive in Pastaza.