Police in Connecticut have found a woman who went missing 25 years ago as a toddler. Andrea Reyes, now 27, was abducted in October 1999 by her biological mother, Rosa Tenorio, who lacked legal custody and took her to Mexico, Fox News reports.
Mexican authorities identified Reyes and Tenorio in 2000 but declined to remove the child.
In 2023, Andrea reached out to the man she believed was her father, prompting Det. Kealyn Nivakoff of the New Haven Police Department to reopen the case.
To confirm her identity, investigators collaborated with forensic genealogy firm Othram, which verified a father-daughter match.
“Thank you for sharing in our joy in finding our daughter Andrea. After 25 years, God has answered our prayers and blessed us with a chance to know her again.
“We recognize that this reacquaintance will have challenges, however, we are confident that God is building the path before us and leading our steps,” Andrea’s stepmother said in an emotional statement.
At a press conference, police revealed that Andrea’s father made multiple trips to Mexico over the years in search of his daughter.
He and Andrea’s stepmother expressed gratitude to law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for their efforts.
NCMEC reports that family abductions are the second most common form of child abduction in the United States.
