American Child Kidnapped at Age Six Reunites with Family After 70 Years Through DNA Testing

Following a Stranger Woman in the Park After Being Told "I'll Buy You Candy"
Moved from California to the East Coast to Live with a Couple

A six-year-old boy who was kidnapped from a park in California, USA, in 1951 was reunited with his family after more than 70 years, a story that has recently come to light.

Major foreign media outlets including the AP News and The Guardian reported on the 22nd (local time), citing the Bay Area News Group, about the story of Luis Armando Albino.

Albino, born in Puerto Rico, was playing in a park in West Oakland, California, with his older brother Roger Albino on February 21, 1951. At that time, a woman wearing a headscarf approached and said in Spanish, "I will buy you candy." Albino, who followed the woman, never dreamed that he would be separated from his family for over 70 years thereafter.

A photo of Luis Albino (right), who was abducted from a park 70 years ago, reunited with his brother Roger. Roger passed away last month. [Image source=Social Networking Service (SNS) capture]

After being kidnapped, Albino lived as the son of a couple in the eastern region across the American continent. He served in the Marine Corps and participated in the Vietnam War, and after discharge, he worked as a firefighter. The specific area where Albino lived has not been disclosed as the investigation into his kidnapping case is ongoing.

The key person who played a decisive role in Albino's reunion with his family was his niece, Alida Alequin (63). Alequin took an online DNA test for fun in 2020. She discovered that there was a man whose DNA matched hers by 22%, and she thought he might be her kidnapped uncle. She conducted an investigation but did not achieve any significant results.

Then, earlier this year, Alequin and her daughters began searching for Albino again. They checked old articles about the Albino brothers at the Oakland Public Library and contacted the Oakland Police. The police found the new clues meaningful and resumed the search for the missing person. Eventually, through additional DNA tests by the family, they confirmed that Albino was the boy who disappeared from the park 70 years ago.

On June 24, Albino visited Oakland with the support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and met with his family, including his sister Alequin's mother and his brother Roger Albino. Roger Albino passed away last month, just over two months after finding his brother. Albino's mother, who lost her son, died in 2005 but reportedly never gave up hope that her son was alive until the end.

Alequin described the reunion, saying, "We had a long hug holding each other tightly," and afterward, they talked about the day of the kidnapping and Albino's military service. She said Albino did not want to give interviews to the media. Alequin added, "If our story becomes known to the world, it might help other families going through similar experiences," and urged families in similar situations, "Do not give up."