In 1951, 6-year-old Puerto Rico-born Luis Armando Albino was kidnapped while playing at a park in Oakland, California. For more than 70 years, his family had no idea where he was or what had happened to him. Thanks to a combination of an online ancestry test, old photographs, and newspaper clippings, Albino was finally found living on the East Coast, reuniting with his family after decades apart.
Albino’s niece, Alida Alequin, now 63, played a key role in solving the mystery. She worked with local police, the FBI, and the Justice Department to locate her uncle. Alequin found out that Albino, a father and grandfather, had been raised by a couple after his abduction and had gone on to serve as a firefighter and a Marine Corps veteran in the Vietnam War. He had no idea that his family in California had been searching for him all this time.
On February 21, 1951, a woman lured young Luis away from the West Oakland park, where he had been playing with his older brother, Roger, promising him candy. Instead, she kidnapped him and flew him to the East Coast, where he was raised as if he were the couple’s own child. For decades, his family had no clue where he was, though they never gave up hope. His photo remained in their homes, and his mother, who passed away in 2005, believed he was still alive.
The first clue that Albino might still be alive came in 2020 when Alequin took an online DNA test “just for fun.” The results showed a 22% match with a man, who later turned out to be her uncle. At first, this clue didn’t lead to any immediate answers, but in early 2024, Alequin and her daughters renewed their efforts. A visit to the Oakland Public Library led Alequin to find old articles in the Oakland Tribune, including one with a picture of Luis and his brother Roger. This convinced her that she was on the right track, and she approached the Oakland police with her findings.
The police reopened the case, agreeing that the new evidence was substantial. They eventually located Albino on the East Coast, and both he and his sister (Alequin’s mother) provided DNA samples, confirming their relation. On June 20, 2024, investigators informed Alequin and her mother that Albino had been found. “We didn’t start crying until after the investigators left,” Alequin said. “I grabbed my mom’s hands and said, ‘We found him.’ I was ecstatic.”
Just a few days later, with the help of the FBI, Albino traveled to Oakland to reunite with his family. He met with Alequin, her mother, and other relatives on June 24, and the next day, Alequin drove her mother and Albino to Stanislaus County, California, to visit Roger. The brothers embraced in a tight, emotional hug and spent the day talking about their shared memories, including the kidnapping and their military service.
Albino returned to the East Coast but came back to California for a longer visit in July, spending three weeks with his family. Sadly, his brother Roger passed away in August, making their reunion all the more significant.
Alequin said her uncle prefers not to speak with the media, but she hopes that sharing their story will inspire other families to keep searching for their missing loved ones. “I was always determined to find him,” she said. “And who knows, with my story out there, it could help other families going through the same thing. I would say, don’t give up.”
The Oakland police have closed the missing persons case, but the FBI and local authorities continue to investigate the kidnapping. Despite the long years of separation, Albino’s reunion with his family was a moment of closure and hope.
