By Gill Bikram Singh 
A woman who was kidnapped as a toddler in Connecticut has been found alive in Mexico, 25 years after her disappearance.
Long-Lost Daughter Reunites with Father
Andrea Michelle Reyes was just two years old when she was abducted in October 1999 by her mother, Rosa Tenorio, who did not have legal custody at the time. Reyes was in the care of her father when she was taken, prompting an immediate investigation by New Haven police and the FBI.
Authorities obtained a felony arrest warrant for Tenorio, suspecting she had fled to Mexico with her daughter. Despite multiple trips to Mexico, Reyes’ father was unable to locate her. The case eventually went cold—until a breakthrough in 2023 reignited the search.
Breakthrough Investigation Leads to Discovery
Detective Kealyn Nivakoff reopened the case, using interviews, search warrants, and social media to track down Reyes. Investigators determined she was living in Puebla, a city of over one million people in Mexico. Advanced DNA testing confirmed Reyes’ identity, allowing her to reconnect with her father after more than two decades.
“For years, Andrea’s father searched tirelessly but never heard from his daughter or her mother,” said Othram, the forensic DNA company that helped confirm her identity.
Search for Kidnapping Suspect Continues
Reyes, now 27, remains a resident of Mexico, while an arrest warrant for Tenorio is still active in the U.S. Authorities believe the suspect is still in Mexico, though no further details on her whereabouts have been disclosed.
New Haven police chief Karl Jacobson praised the persistence of law enforcement, stating, “No cold case is ever truly closed. We remain committed to resolving every case, and this is a perfect example of that effort.”
Reyes’ discovery is part of a larger effort to resolve hundreds of cases involving missing minors through the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.