Thanks to DNA testing... Younger sibling kidnapped at age 6 reunites with brother after 70 years

A story has emerged about an American boy who was kidnapped at the age of 6 and dramatically reunited with his family after more than 70 years.

According to the New York Post on the 22nd (local time), Luis Armando Albino (79), born in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, was kidnapped by a woman while visiting a park in Oakland, California with his older brother Roger Albino on February 21, 1951. At the time, a woman wearing a headscarf spoke to him in Spanish and promised to buy him candy if he went with her. After being kidnapped, Albino was raised by a couple living in the eastern region.

Luis Armando Albino (right), who was kidnapped at the age of 6, is seen with his arm around his brother Roger Albino (left), whom he met for the first time in over 70 years.
[Image source=New York Post]

Albino was separated from his family for decades but was able to reunite with them after 73 years. A major factor behind his reunion was his niece, Alida Alequin (63). In 2020, Alequin took a DNA test online for fun and discovered a man whose results matched hers by 22%, leading her to suspect he might be her kidnapped uncle and prompting her to investigate.

Earlier this year, Alequin and her daughters found an old newspaper article featuring Albino’s photo at the Oakland Public Library. Alequin reported the article and DNA results to the Oakland police, who reopened the case and confirmed through DNA tests of Albino and Alequin’s mother that he was the missing boy. The police said, "Alequin played a crucial role in finding her uncle."

With the help of the FBI and the Department of Justice, Albino was able to reunite with his younger sister and older brother on June 24. They embraced each other after a long time and reportedly talked about memories of the day he was kidnapped. However, his brother passed away last month, just over two months after finding his brother. Alequin said, "I thought that if our story became known, it could help others going through similar experiences," and added, "Don’t give up."