He Was Kidnapped By A Woman From A California Park In 1951 And Miraculously Found Alive
When Luis Armando Albino was six-years-old, he was abducted in 1951 from Jefferson Square Park in Oakland, California, by an unknown woman wearing a bandana.
Albino’s older brother, Roger, was with him at the time, but the stranger was able to lure Albino away without him noticing.
Albino remained missing for years, but his family never forgot about him. In 2020, his niece, Alida Alequin, submitted her DNA to an ancestry site. She discovered that she had a relative on the East Coast and was prompted to reopen Albino’s case with the Oakland police.
In 2024, it was confirmed that Albino was alive and well. Finally, Albino was able to reunite with his long-lost family 73 years later.
On February 21, 1951, a woman kidnapped Albino and flew him to the East Coast. Albino was then given to a couple and was raised as their son.
The police, Coast Guard, and soldiers from a local army base searched the San Francisco Bay area for the young boy. Even the FBI got involved, but they never found any leads.
Roger was questioned by investigators several times. He insisted that he had seen a woman wearing a bandana talking to his brother the day he went missing.
Albino’s mother regularly contacted the police to stay updated on news about the case. She died in 2005 at the age of 92.
“She always felt he was alive. She took that with her to her grave,” said Alequin. “All this time, the family kept thinking of him. I always knew I had an uncle. We spoke of him a lot. My grandmother carried the original article in her wallet, and she always talked about him. A picture of him was always hung at the family home.”
f11photo – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Alequin decided to submit her DNA to an ancestry site for fun in 2020. Her results showed a 22 percent DNA match with a man on the East Coast.
She was unable to get in contact with him, but the mysterious match made her think of her missing uncle.
She took her DNA results and a photo of Albino and his older brother to the Oakland police, who reopened the investigation.
On June 20, 2024, investigators announced that Albino was alive. Four days later, 79-year-old Albino arrived in Oakland to reunite with his biological family.
He shared a long hug with his brother Roger and told his loved ones about his life. He is a retired firefighter, a Marine Corps veteran who fought in Vietnam, and a grandfather. Less than two months later, Roger passed away.
“I think he died happily,” said Alequin. “He was at peace with himself, knowing that his brother was found. I was just so happy I was able to do this for him and bring him closure and peace.”
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