Andrea Michelle Reyes was just 23 months old when she was allegedly abducted by her mother, Rosa Tenorio, from her New Haven, Connecticut, home on October 5, 1999.
At the time, the toddler was in her father’s custody, and authorities suspected Tenorio had taken her to Mexico.
Despite multiple trips to Mexico, Reyes’ father was never able to locate his daughter or hear from her mother, according to PEOPLE.
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The search persisted for years, with age-progressed photos circulated by organizations like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
After 25 years, Reyes has been found. A Connecticut detective reopened the cold case in 2023 and, using social media, interviews, and search warrants, tracked Reyes to Puebla, Mexico.
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Detective Kealyn Nivakoff contacted Reyes directly and, with the help of Texas-based DNA firm Othram, confirmed her identity.
A DNA match reunited Reyes with her father, ending decades of uncertainty. The case is part of Othram’s Project 525, which aims to solve hundreds of juvenile missing persons cases in partnership with the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.
“While cases may have investigative leads exhausted at the time, no cold case is ever truly closed. We remain committed to resolving every cold case and this is a perfect example of that effort,” Chief Karl Jacobson said in the New Haven police release.
Authorities believe Tenorio is still in Mexico, but while her arrest warrant remains active, it is only enforceable within the United States.
