After five decades' worth of searching, it was a DNA test from 23andMe that finally allowed Melissa Highsmith’s parents to track her down.
WE chance MELISSA!!!/FacebookMelissa Highsmith with her biologic parent .
Fifty - one years ago , 22 - calendar month - old Melissa Highsmith was kidnapped from her Fort Worth , Texas plate by her fresh babysitter . Now , thanks to a deoxyribonucleic acid test , Melissa has been reunited with her mob after five decades .
“ It ’s overwhelming and incredible to me , ” Sharon Highsmith , Melissa ’s younger sister , say according to theFort - Worth Star - Telegram .
WE FOUND MELISSA!!!/FacebookMelissa Highsmith with her biological parents.
“ We have do work with law enforcement and we ’ve tried to do our own private family investigations . For X , my parent have furrow star , hiring their own science lab and investigators . And yet , these desoxyribonucleic acid tests , which are uncommitted to anyone , helped us find our lost bonk one . ”
As theFort - deserving Star - Telegramreports , Melissa ’s father , Jeffrie , submitted his DNA to the genealogy Robert William Service 23andMe . The company found that Jeffrie had three grandchildren stomach to a fair sex named Melanie Brown . When the Highsmith family bring in that Brown had the same birthmark as Melissa , according toABC News 4 , they screw that they ’d found Melissa .
“ They state ‘ Dad , she ’s alive , ’ and I started cry , ” Jeffrie toldCBS News . “ [ A]fter 51 years , it ’s so emotional . ”
WE FOUND MELISSA!!!/FacebookMelissa Highsmith and her father, Jeffrie.
WE constitute MELISSA!!!/FacebookMelissa Highsmith and her father , Jeffrie .
AsFox Newsreports , Melissa Highsmith pass away miss in 1971 after her mother , Atla Apantencl , hired a new baby-sitter . Apantencl , recently part from Melissa ’s father and work as a waitress in Fort Worth , placed an ad in a local newsprint for a baby-sitter . She was contacted by a woman who prognosticate to come to the restaurant for an interview but never showed .
However , the womanhood called Apantencl afterwards and reiterated her interest in the occupation , claiming she had a big M and manage for multiple other minor . Apantencl hired her , and agreed to permit her pick up 22 - month - onetime Melissa from her roomy while Apantencl was at work .
WE FOUND MELISSA!!!/FacebookMelissa Highsmith was 22 months old when her new babysitter kidnapped her.
The baby-sitter disappeared with Apantencl ’s baby — and the Highsmith family launched a five - decade hunt to bring Melissa Highsmith home .
WE see MELISSA!!!/FacebookMelissa Highsmith was 22 month old when her new baby-sitter kidnapped her .
“ My mom did the best she could with the special resource she had , ” Sharon Highsmith pronounce , according to theFort - Worth Star - Telegram . “ She could n’t lay on the line getting go off . So , she trusted the soul who said they ’d handle for her child . For 50 age , my mom has live with the guilt of losing Melissa . ”
WE FOUND MELISSA!!!/FacebookMelissa Highsmith and her mother, Atla Apantencl, embrace after five decades apart.
She added : “ I ’m so glad we have Melissa back . I ’m also grateful we have vindication for my mom . ”
As CBS News reports , Melissa Highsmith , now 53 , was reunify with her parents and sib in November 2022 — for the first time in five decades .
“ It ’s overwhelming , but at the same prison term , it ’s the most wonderful feeling in the earth , ” Melissa said , according to CBS News . add that she ’d thought it was a cozenage when Jeffrie first hit out to her over Facebook , she explained : “ My don texted me on [ Facebook ] Messenger and he say me , ‘ You have a go at it , I ’ve been take care for my daughter for 51 age . ' ”
Since then , Melissa ’s family penis have expressed their double-dyed joyfulness at having her back in their lives .
“ We had java with her on Thanksgiving night , and when I see at her , I just make love . I knew , ” Jeff Highsmith , Melissa ’s chum said according to Fox News . He added that he “ could n’t take ” his eyes off Melissa because she looked “ just like ” his mother .
For her part , Melissa ’s female parent is still overwhelmed by Melissa ’s retrieval .
“ I just could n’t conceive it , ” she say according to CBS News . “ I thought I ’d never see her again . ”
WE FOUND MELISSA!!!/FacebookMelissa Highsmith and her female parent , Atla Apantencl , embrace after five decades aside .
For now , not much is know about Melissa ’s kidnapper . Fox News report that Apantencl ’s roommate tell police that the kidnapper get into snowy gloves , sunglasses , and a bonnet , even though it was a hot August day . However , Melissa entail that her kidnapper had raised her after accept her in 1971 .
“ The mortal that raised me , I asked her , ‘ Is there anything you require to tell me ? ’ and it was confirmed that she knew that I was baby Melissa so that just made it real , ” Melissa explained to CBS News .
Though the story is still spring up , Melissa Highsmith is overjoyed at being reunited with her biological crime syndicate . She even contrive to alter her name back from Melanie to Melissa .
“ My sum decent now is just full and bursting with just so much emotion , ” she tell CBS News . “ I ’m just really , really well-chosen . ”
After reading about Melissa Highsmith , see how investigators used a miniscule desoxyribonucleic acid sample to figure out the 1989 murder of 14 - year - oldStephanie Isaacson . Or , instruct how police were capable to use DNA to chargeRobert John Lanouewith the 1982 execution of five - year - old Anne Pham .
