A woman who was kidnapped by her babysitter and reported missing for 51 years has finally been found by her parents.
Melissa Highsmith was just aged one when she disappeared in 1971 in Fort Worth, Texas, after her mum, Alta Apantenco, placed an advertisement in a local newspaper looking for a babysitter.
Single-mum Alta needed help and quickly hired a woman, without ever meeting her, after she applied for the job.
The mum's roommate then handed over baby Melissa to the babysitter who allegedly kidnapped her and took her away from her family for 51 years.
Melissa's family reported Alta missing to the police but she was never found by authorities, which left the family devastated.
Friends and family of Alta would remember the tot each year by throwing a birthday party for her.
In recent times, there was a Facebook page dedicated to finding the missing baby, which was called “Finding Melissa Highsmith.”
However, in September, the family of Melissa were given a tip-off that she was living in Charleston, South Carolina.
Despite being more than 1,00 miles away from Fort Worth the family used a 23andMe DNA test which revealed she was the young baby that was adducted from her family 51 years ago.
After using Melissa's birthmark and her birthday to confirm it was her, Melissa was found living in Fort Worth under the name Melanie Walden.
Her family and friends were ecstatic and held a party on Saturday where she was reunited with her mum, dad, Jeffrie Highsmith, and two of her four siblings.
Victoria Garner, Mellisa's sister, said in a statement: “I couldn’t stop crying, I was overjoyed, and I’m still walking around in a fog trying to comprehend that my sister [was] right in front of me and that we found her.”
Her other sister Sharon Highsmith, who lives in Spain, said she wants to meet Melissa in December.
She revealed if it wasn't for her relatives never giving up and paying for the key DNA test, her sister would never have been found.
Sharon and her family got in contact with a clinical laboratory scientist and Lisa Jo Schiele, a genealogist, to help them with the DNA results.
Her sister blames police for messing-up the case and for missing out on 50 years.
She said: “Our family has suffered at the hands of agencies who have mismanaged this case.
“Right now, we just want to get to know Melissa, welcome her to the family and make up for 50 years of lost time.”
It is still unclear what happened to the babysitter who allegedly kidnapper Melissa - but sister Sharon says she's just thankful she has been found.
Sharon said: “My mom did the best she could with the limited resources she had – she couldn’t risk getting fired, so she trusted the person who said they’d care for her child.
“I’m grateful … we have vindication for my mom.”
