A woman who was abducted at the age of three has been located more than four decades later, authorities confirmed this week. Investigators say the woman had no knowledge that she had ever been taken or that she had been missing for 42 years.
According to law enforcement, the child was allegedly abducted in 1983 by a family member during a custody dispute. At the time, the child’s mother told relatives she was relocating out of state. When the child’s father arrived to see his daughter, both had disappeared.
For decades, the alleged abductor remained at large and was placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for parental kidnapping. Authorities say she lived under an assumed name for years, most recently in a retirement community in Florida.
The case was reopened after police received a tip about the woman’s possible location. Investigators compared a recent photograph of the suspect with images from the early 1980s and confirmed a strong resemblance. Officers later went to the residence and took the suspect into custody.
She has now been charged with custodial interference and was released on bond pending further court proceedings.
The woman who was abducted has since been reunited with her father, who authorities say never stopped searching for his child. Officials describe the reunion as emotional and long overdue.
Law enforcement officials say the case highlights how long-term missing person investigations can still be solved, even decades later, with public assistance and renewed tips.
