A toddler that was kidnapped from Connecticut more than 25 years ago ago has been found in Mexico.
Investigators said 23-month-old Andrea Michelle Reyes was abducted from her home in New Haven by her mother in October 1999.
The mother, Rosa Tenorio, did not have custody of Reyes, according to New Haven police.
At the time, police suspected Tenorio fled to Mexico with her daughter. Andrea's father went to Mexico several times, but was not able to find Tenorio or Andrea, police said.
New Haven police worked with the FBI to issue a felony arrest warrant for Tenorio.
In 2023, New Haven Detective Kealyn Nivakoff was reviewing cold cases and began to reinvestigate Andrea's abduction. Nivakoff is assigned to the department's Special Victim's Unit focusing on missing persons.
Through interviews, search warrants, and social media, Nivakoff was able to determine Andrea had been taken to Mexico and was living with her mother in Puebla, a city of more than 1 million people located southeast of Mexico City.
The detective was able to contact Andrea, and through DNA testing by a Texas company called Othram, confirmed the genetic relationship between Andrea and her father.
Andrea Reyes is now 27 years old.
“This case reflects the hard work of our officers and detectives," New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson said in a release. "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.”
Police did not release the father's identity and said he wished to remain anonymous.
The arrest warrant for Tenorio remains active, but is only valid within the United States, according to police.
