Kidnapped in 1951, man reunites with family after 73 years

A man kidnapped from a West Oakland park in 1951 has been reunited with his family 73 years later, through online DNA tests, old photos, and newspaper clippings. 

Luis Armando Albino, now a retired firefighter and Vietnam War veteran, was abducted at the age of six and raised by a couple on the East Coast.

On February 21, 1951, Luis was playing with his elder brother when a woman dragged him away and kidnapped him. Despite a massive effort by police, coast guard, and public servants, he remained missing for over seven decades. 

His family never gave up hope, keeping his pictures displayed in their homes. Armando's mother passed away in 2005, but he always held onto the possibility that his son was alive.

The remarkable reunion was facilitated by Luis Armando's niece, 63-year-old Alida Alequin.

In 2020, Alequin took an online DNA test for fun and discovered a 22 percent DNA match with a man who would later prove to be her uncle. However, initial attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.

Undeterred, Alequin resumed the search in early 2024 with her daughters, scouring Oakland Public Library archives for newspaper articles featuring Luis Armando's childhood photo.

Convinced by the new evidence, police reopened the disappearance case and eventually closed it after confirming Luis Armando's identity through DNA comparison with his sister.

On June 20, police informed Alequin that her uncle 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.”

With FBI assistance, Luis Armando arrived in Oakland on June 24 and reunited with Alequin, his mother's relatives, and other family members. 

Though he has since returned to the East Coast, Luis Armando revisited his family in July.

Oakland Police praised Alequin's determination, stating she played a fundamental role in finding her uncle.

Authorities have chosen not to disclose Luis Armando's East Coast residence. 

According to Alequin, her uncle prefers not to engage with the media.

“I was always determined to find him, and who knows, with my story out there, it could help other families going through the same thing,” Alequin said. 

“I would say: don’t give up.”