Teen Who Left Home and Disappeared Still Missing 1 Year Later

It’s been one year since a teenage girl disappeared in Maine after getting into an argument with her sister — and authorities are still looking for her.

According to Maine State Police (MSP), Stefanie Damron — who was 13 when she went missing, but will turn 15 next month — was last seen walking out of her home and into the woods on the West Road in New Sweden on Sept. 23, 2024. She was reported missing a day later.

Since then, police said they have carried out “extensive investigative and search efforts” with multiple agencies, including the FBI, according to a news release shared with PEOPLE on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

Additionally, investigators “have conducted dozens of interviews and followed up on leads in Maine, across the country, and in Canada and that work continues.”

“Despite these efforts, Stefanie remains missing,” they wrote.

In their interview with the Bangor Daily News, Stefanie’s parents, Lisa and Christopher “Dale” Damron, said that their daughter went off into woods following an argument with her sister that morning — a place she would go to where she can’t be bothered.

At the time, Lisa and Dale also said they weren’t at home as they were in Presque Isle for a job interview.

“When we came home, no Stefanie,” Dale told the newspaper. “But we figured she’d just be a couple of hours.”

Dale, who told the outlet he initially thought they had to wait 24 hours before reporting a missing person, said that they did send their dogs out to look for Stefanie — something he said the family did when their kids stayed for too long in the woods — but after 12 hours had passed with no sign of Stefanie, the family contacted authorities. 

Now, a year later, Lisa told the newspaper that “we just want her to come home.”

“As long as I am breathing I will never give up hope,” she added.

In a detailed post marking the one-year anniversary of her disappearance, the FBI — which is offering a reward up to $15,000 to anybody with information about the case — said that the family has over 20 acres of land in New Sweden and “have resided in a wooden yurt” with “no running water or indoor plumbing, but a generator provides some power.”

“Her upbringing, from what we’ve concluded, has been very off the grid,” said FBI Boston Special Agent Jose Rodriguez Aguilar, who noted that a number of Child Protective Services (CPS) reports had been filed “for not only Stefanie, but the other siblings, as well.”

The FBI post did not include any additional details about the reports and told PEOPLE they had nothing more to add.

When reached for comment, Stefanie’s father insisted that “false claims” have been made about their living situation, but that “those claims were investigated and determined to be unfounded.” as have other allegations made against them.

“The FBI has spoken with us directly about these matters. We have been transparent, cooperative, and consistent,” he tells PEOPLE.

A spokesperson for the Maine State Police confirms to PEOPLE that they’ve “been in contact with the Damron family since the beginning of the investigation” and that the family has been cooperative.

“We ask the public, and the media, to focus on facts rather than speculation. Every rumor, every false narrative, every recycled accusation takes time and attention away from the search for Stefanie,” her father says. “Our family lives with the reality of her absence every single day. We need the community’s energy directed toward finding her, not fueling stories that have already been proven false.”

Addressing the breadth of search efforts, police said in their latest news release that ground and air search operations in the last year have covered over 4,500 acres and employed  K9 teams, horses, ground searchers, aircraft, drones and computer modeling. That included a two-day intensive search in May involving  65 law enforcement officers and search and rescue team members. 

Police also acknowledged that “environmental conditions have added challenges to the searches, including dense tree cover that can hinder aerial operations and seasonal weather that impacts visibility and terrain.”

Police say that their investigation remains ongoing — and will continue until Stefanie is found.

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“We recognize the profound impact Stefanie’s disappearance continues to have on her family, friends, and community. The Maine State Police remain committed to finding answers and will continue to actively investigate until Stefanie is located,” they wrote.

Anyone with information about Stefanie’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Maine State Police Houlton Barracks at (207) 532-5400.