A DNA test has confirmed the identity of a Texan woman who went missing 51 years ago.
In 1971, Melissa Highsmith was allegedly abducted from her birth parents' Fort Worth home by a babysitter when she was just 22 months old, as reported by NBC News.
The now-53-year-old's sister, Victoria Highsmith, told law enforcement that the discovery came late last year after her parents submitted DNA samples to Ancestry.com and 23andMe.
The samples soon matched the DNA submitted by Melissa's children. They then found out she had been residing in the Fort Worth area under the name Melanie Brown, unaware of her real identity.
Melissa was reunited with her biological parents and two surviving siblings days before Thanksgiving last year. Pictures of the heartfelt reunion were shared on Facebook by a family member named Sharon Rose Highsmith.
Sharon wrote that the result was made "purely because of DNA" and "not because of any police / FBI involvement, podcast involvement, or even our family’s own private investigations or speculations".
"Mom & Dad met Mel for the first time yesterday after 51 years and did further official & legal DNA testing, although in the moment we saw her pictures, found out about her birthmark, and realized her 'birthday' is so close to our Melissa, WE KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was OUR GIRL," she went on.
"We are of course waiting for official confirmation for the naysayers in this world," she continued, thanking genealogist and advocate, Lisa Jo Schiele, for helping with the discovery and "her guidance in helping us understand the DNA results".
"The joy is palpable amongst all family members, and we invite you to celebrate and rejoice with us, and also allow our family some moments of privacy as we process this exciting news! Thank you for your support over the years," Sharon added.
The Fort Worth Police Station also shared a press release following the incredible revelation, which read: "It is our hope that this test result will offer additional closure for the Highsmith family," as cited by The Independent.
"Although the criminal statute of limitations expired 20 years after Melissa’s 18th birthday, the Fort Worth Police Department Major Case Unit continues to ask for the public’s assistance with any additional information concerning Melissa’s abduction that occurred over 51 years ago," it added.
According to the publication, Melissa's birth mother Alta Apantenco shared that her nightmare started when she needed a babysitter to look after her daughter, so she hired a woman named Ruth Johnson over the phone to collect the toddler.
Alta had left her baby girl with a roommate to hand over to the babysitter - who was later described as being well-dressed and wearing white gloves.
The babysitter never returned to the family home, sparking a 50-year search that only concluded after DNA analysis.
Speaking to WFAA about the discovery of her daughter, Alta said: "I'm just elated, I can't describe my feelings, I’m so happy to see my daughter that I didn't think I would ever see again."
NBC News reported that Melissa told her family that her life had been hard since the abduction and that she ran away from home at 15 years old.
