Abducted boy found after 73 years
In a remarkable and heartwarming conclusion to a decades-long mystery, Luis Armando Albino, who was abducted 73 years ago, has been found alive and well, bringing joy and closure to a family that never gave up hope.
Albino, who was born in Puerto Rico, was just six years old when he was abducted from Jefferson Square Park in West Oakland, California, in February 1951. On that fateful day, he had been playing with his brother Roger when he was lured away. His disappearance left his family devastated, and the case went cold for decades. His mother, who passed away in 2005, carried a newspaper clipping about her son’s kidnapping in her wallet until her death, refusing to give up on her belief that he was alive.
This long-lost boy, now 79, was found after his niece, Alida Alequin, 63, took a DNA test in 2020. The results matched her with a man who turned out to be Albino, now living on the east coast of the US.
Alequin, determined to find her uncle, sought the help of the FBI and the Department of Justice to track him down. A DNA sample confirmed his identity, finally solving the mystery that had haunted their family for over seven decades.
Albino, a retired firefighter and Marine Corps veteran, had been raised by a couple who took him in as their son after his abduction. His niece said he had faint memories of being taken but had never been able to piece together the truth. Despite the astonishing discovery, Albino has chosen to keep a low profile and has declined to speak with the media.
When Alequin shared the news of the discovery, the emotion was palpable. "She always had hope that he would come home," Alequin said of her grandmother. “She always felt he was alive. She took that with her to her grave.” The family had never stopped thinking about him. Pictures of Luis Armando hung in their home, and stories of his disappearance were passed down through the years, keeping his memory alive.
Albino's reunion with his family was bittersweet. He reconnected with his brother Roger, but sadly, Roger passed away shortly afterward. Despite this, the family remains overjoyed to have found their beloved Luis after so many years of uncertainty. The missing persons report on Albino has since been removed from the California Department of Justice website, a poignant symbol of the long-awaited resolution to this case.
For Alequin and the rest of the family, finding their lost relative after 73 years was nothing short of miraculous. "The outcome of this story is what we strive for," a police spokesperson said of the rare but incredible closure that comes from never giving up on hope.
Images: Alida Alequin