Abducted in 1951 at age 6, man found alive by niece decades later

Luis Armando Albino was 6 when a lady kidnapped him in 1951 whereas he was enjoying at a park in California along with his older brother, solely reuniting along with his household seven a long time later because of the willpower of his 63-year-old niece. 

Albino, now a retired firefighter, grandfather and Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam, was lacking for over 70 years however his household by no means forgot him. The person’s family members stored images of him, and whereas his mom handed away in 2005 earlier than she might see him once more, she by no means misplaced hope that her son was nonetheless alive.

As The Mercury Information reported Friday, Alida Alequin is the retired firefighter’s 63-year-old niece. Alequin began to suspect that her uncle was alive in 2020 after she took a web-based DNA take a look at “just for fun.” The take a look at confirmed that she had a 22% match with the person who turned out to be her uncle. 

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In accordance with a 1966 Oakland Tribune article, Alequin’s uncle went lacking in February 1951 after a lady kidnapped him from the West Oakland park the place he had been enjoying along with his older brother. The girl spoke Spanish to the 6-year-old Puerto Rico-born boy and lured him into her automotive by promising that she would purchase him sweet.

After kidnapping the boy from the park, the lady flew him to the East Coast, the place he ended up within the care of a pair who raised him as if he was their very own, in accordance with The Mercury Information. Investigators interviewed Albino’s brother Roger, who witnessed the kidnapping, a number of occasions after the boy’s disappearance, however the older sibling might solely inform them {that a} lady carrying a bandana had taken his brother. 

Flash ahead to 2024, when Alequin and her daughters continued to seek for their lacking relative. Throughout a go to to the Oakland Public Library, Albino’s niece regarded by way of a microfilm of outdated Oakland Tribune articles reporting the kidnapping. One of many articles featured an image of her uncle and his brother Roger, and Alequin went to the Oakland police with this data. 

After receiving the brand new lead, investigators opened a brand new lacking individuals case. Whereas the lacking individuals case is closed now that Albino has been discovered, the police and FBI think about the kidnapping a still-open investigation.

On June 20, investigators knowledgeable Alequin and her mom, Albino’s sister, that that they had discovered their lacking relative on the East Coast after the 2 siblings had carried out DNA exams that exposed a match. A number of days later, the FBI organized for Albino to go to Oakland and see his household. 

“In my heart I knew it was him, and when I got the confirmation, I let out a big ‘YES!'” Alequin mentioned.

“We didn’t start crying until after the investigators left,” she added. “I grabbed my mom’s hands and said, ‘We found him.’ I was ecstatic.” 

In accordance with the Oakland police, Alequin’s efforts to seek out her uncle “played an integral role” find him, including that “the outcome of this story is what we strive for.” When Albino noticed his niece, in accordance with The Mercury Information, the person embraced her and mentioned, “Thank you for finding me,” kissing her on the cheek. 

Through the go to along with her newfound uncle, Alequin drove him and her mom to the house of Albino’s brother Roger in Stanislaus County, California. Recalling the go to, Alequin mentioned that the 2 brothers “grabbed each other and had a really tight, long hug.” 

“They sat down and just talked,” Alequin famous. Her uncle went again to the East Coast however returned to California in July for a three-week go to, which might be the final time he noticed Roger alive. In August, Albino’s brother handed away, however Alequin believes that he died “happily.” 

“He was at peace with himself, knowing that his brother was found,” she mentioned. “I was just so happy I was able to do this for him and bring him closure and peace.”

Albino doesn’t want to discuss to the media in the intervening time, in accordance with his niece. As for his reminiscences of the kidnapping, Albino vaguely recalled being kidnapped and brought throughout the nation, however the adults in his life by no means defined the scenario to him.