Connecticut police found a New Haven girl (now a woman) who went missing 25 years ago when she was two years old.
27-year-old Andrea Reyes was accused of in October 1999 by Rosa Tenorio, the non-obligatory and biological mother who brought her to Mexico.
“Thank you for sharing the joy of finding my daughter Andrea. 25 years later, God answered our prayers and blessed her with the opportunity to re-know her,” Andrea's stepmother said in an emotional statement at a March 12 press conference with the New Haven Police Department. “We recognize that this reunion has challenges, but we are confident that God has built a path ahead of us and is leading us in our path.”
Andrea's father traveled several times to Mexico himself over the years to find his daughter, police said at a press conference.
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Andrea Reyes, now 27 years old, was accused of in-laws by Rosa Tenorio, an unlawful biological mother who brought her to Mexico in October 1999. (NCMEC)
Andrea's father and stepmother thanked the missing and exploited children (NCMEC) of law enforcement and the National Center. Her stepmother also said that DNA technology helped law enforcement develop the lead that ultimately led them to Andrea, who now lives in Mexico.
She added that they should not lose sight of the family waiting for someone they love to be found.
“We keep you in prayer, and we hope for a day when you can reunite with your loved ones,” Andrea's stepmother said. “As we establish new connections over the last few months, we ask for your prayers and respect for our privacy. We hope that our good news will one day be good news for you.”
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Andrea Reyes's NCMEC age-related photo. (NCMEC)
Mexican authorities apparently identified Reyes and his mother in 2000, but “it was known that the Mexican government would not take any further action to remove Andrea from his mother,” said PD Sergeant New Haven. John Moore said at a press conference.
Andrea detted to a man she believed to be her father in 2023. Keleen Nibakov with the New Haven Police Station has begun investigating the incident. To confirm her identity, New Haven Police has partnered with Oslam, a forensic genetic genealogy research company.
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According to NCMEC, family abduction is the second most common child abduction in the United States.
Andrea Reyes' father will talk about finding his missing daughter 25 years later at a press conference on March 12th. (Facebook/New Haven PF)
In 2023, NCMEC received 1,185 family aid, with 59% of all amber alerts issued due to family aid.
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“One of the biggest misconceptions about the family abduction incident is that the children are safe and 'not actually missing' because they are with their parents,” NCMEC communications director Angeline Hartman said in a statement. “We know there are a lot of emotions behind these cases. These scenarios are unpredictable and dangerous. These kids are running away with the temptation.
Tenorio's arrest warrant remains active.
