Dallas

Missing Fort Worth woman says she has reunited with her family — 51 years later

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Melissa Highsmith was kidnapped in 1971 when she was just 21 months old.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Melissa Highsmith’s case was one of the oldest missing persons cases in the country.

But three days ago, her life changed forever. The family said a 23andMe DNA case linked the family together.

In a sit-down interview with WFAA, Highsmith said, “I feel like I am dreaming, and I keep having to pinch myself to make sure I’m awake.”

“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 say again,” said Alta Apantenco, Melissa’s mother.

On Aug. 23, 1971, Apantenco advertised for a babysitter and spoke with a supposed sitter by the name of Ruth Johnson, who agreed to pick up 21-month-old Melissa from the family’s apartment building on East Seminary in Fort Worth.

Since Apantenco had to be at work, her roommate handed Melissa to Johnson, who was described as well-dressed and wearing white gloves.

That evening, Johnson never returned little Melissa and could not be reached. Fort Worth police and the FBI were soon involved, but more than 50 years later, very few leads have surfaced.

Police at the time said they discovered no evidence Melissa was harmed and hoped Johnson or whoever had the baby was taking good care of her.

Highsmith said she had a hard life and that all this time she thought the woman who raised her was her mother. 

“I didn’t feel loved as a child. It was abusive, and I ran away at 15 years old. I went to the streets. I did what I had to do to get by… I worked the streets,” Highsmith said.

Highsmith was living 20 minutes away from her mother in Fort Worth, and they had no idea. 

Apantenco said her ex-husband got an email three days ago that linked them. 

“He was going through his DNA, and these three names popped up and he didn’t know who they were. But it has his DNA and it had her DNA. It was two boys and a girl. He didn’t understand, and he called his daughter Rebecca who had been working on it. Then my son reached out to her, friend request, and she accepted it. And he was telling her all these things about Melissa being kidnapped and she said ‘I’m sorry I don’t think I’m that person,'” said Apantenco.

Highsmith wasn’t sure if she should believe it. She said Jeff, her brother, told her, “He asked me, I don’t think I’m that girl I’m so sorry. He said wouldn’t you like to be 100% sure? He said I’ll pay for the DNA test and I told him I’ll take the test but I really didn’t think I was that girl. Once I saw the baby picture, and I put my baby picture against it, it’s like my twin.”

From here on, Highsmith said she plans on officially changing her name from Melanie, back to Melissa. She also plans on re-marrying her current husband so her father can walk her down the aisle, and so her family can be at her wedding.



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