Luis Albino was six years old when he was abducted from a park in California and then taken to the east coast of the US. After 73 years, his family found him. Thanks to his niece, who decided to do an online DNA test “for fun”.
In the winter of 1951, six-year-old Luis Albino was kidnapped from a park in Oakland, California, by an unknown woman. The kidnapper allegedly lured the child by offering him candy and then took him out of state, thousands of miles away on the East Coast, NPR reports. Despite the efforts of local and federal law enforcement and the desperate efforts of his mother, the missing man could not be found.
DNA test “for fun”
The breakthrough came in 2020 when Luis Albin's niece, Alida Alequin, decided to take an online DNA test. Speaking to local media, she admitted that she had done the test “for fun.” However, she discovered that she was 22 percent related to a man she didn't know existed.
Alequin then tried to contact the potential relative but received no response. Earlier this year, she decided to try again to track down the mystery man, NPR reports.
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Resumption of the investigation
According to the American website, in March, Alequin contacted the police missing persons unit and informed them of the DNA test results. Officers then resumed the investigation into Albin's disappearance. They used the help of the FBI, which interviewed the man and took samples of his genetic material. Later analysis showed that they were a match for the DNA of Alida Alequin and her relatives. After 73 years, the police have determined the whereabouts of Luis Albino.
Because the investigation is ongoing, police are sharing limited information about Albin. Officers are not specifying where exactly the man lives, who raised him, or exactly how he was abducted. Local media reports say he is a retired firefighter. He also reportedly served in the army in the past.
Meeting with the family
In June, Albino traveled to California to meet with his family. He met his niece and reconnected with his brother. The trip was organized and paid for by the FBI, the California Department of Justice and the Oakland police. “It was a moving moment for all parties involved,” officials told NBC News. The portal added that the meeting was significant because the kidnapped man's brother died shortly after.
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