Melissa Highsmith, who was reportedly abducted by a babysitter when she was just a toddler, has been joyfully reunited with her family after 50 long years.

The Fort Worth Police Department has officially confirmed the identity of a Texas woman who was abducted over 50 years ago and reunited with her family in the previous year. Following DNA testing conducted on Melissa Highsmith, who was reportedly taken by a babysitter at the tender age of 22 months, the results have validated the findings of a home DNA test kit employed by her family.

Despite the expiration of the statute of limitations for potential criminal charges when Highsmith turned 38, the police are still seeking assistance from the public regarding any information related to the abduction.

Initially, Highsmith’s mother was under suspicion of potentially being involved in the girl’s disappearance and concealing the crime, as reported by NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. According to the family, an individual who responded to an advertisement for a babysitter was responsible for taking the infant.

Following their reunion, Highsmith disclosed to her family that her life had been challenging, and she had run away from home at the age of 15. She had predominantly resided in Fort Worth throughout her life. Highsmith’s family had dedicated decades to locating her.

Sister Victoria Highsmith revealed to NBC that the breakthrough occurred late last year, just weeks after their parents submitted DNA samples to Ancestry.com and 23andMe. The samples were found to be a match with DNA provided by Melissa Highsmith’s own children, Victoria informed the station.