Blue Bloods season 13 will feature new plot lines but one familiar face has been confirmed as part of the cop cast. Maria Baez will return to screens in the series' next instalment despite fans worries the character was axed from the show.

Blue Bloods Detective Maria Baez was absent for a few episodes during season 12 but it has since been confirmed the character will be back solving crime in upcoming episodes.

Serving at the 54th Precinct, Maria works for the New York City Police Department as part of the Major Case Squad.

The character played by Marisa Maguire Ramirez was nowhere to be seen in a number of past season episodes, leaving fans to speculate she had seen the end of her time on the drama.

However, spotted filming for the upcoming season 13 on social media, viewers let out a sigh of relief at knowing the NYPD regular would be coming back.Throwing another theory into the mix as to why viewers didn't see too much of Maria, one user thought it had something to do with her actions in the season finale.

Another fan, Xforceforlife, said: "Because in the season finale she adopt a baby and folks would thinking she was getting written off because of that."

The CBS drama follows a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City's law enforcement.

Frank Reagan is the New York Police Commissioner, and heads both the police force and the Reagan family calling the shots in most episodes of the show.