‘Chapter is not closed yet': Father details decades-old search to find missing daughter

A decades-long child abduction case out of New Haven is officially closed.

On Wednesday, the New Haven Police Department held a press conference with FBI agents and officers, along with the father and stepmother of Andrea Reyes.

Reyes was abducted in New Haven back in 1999 by her biological mother, Rosa Tenorio, according to police. 

During Wednesday’s press conference, Sgt. John Moore with the police department's special victims unit, shared the initial details of the case and how the department was able to solve it. 

“On Oct. 5, 1999 the New Haven Police Department investigated the abduction of a 2-year-old Andrea Michelle Reyes Tenorio, who was suspected to have been taken from the city by her mother Rosa Tenorio,” Moore said.

The case was investigated from 2000 to 2018 by the FBI, and in 2023, it was reopened by Detective Kealyn Nivakoff, according to Moore.

“Using a combination of interviews, search warrants, social media, Detective Nivakoff determined Andrea, now 25-years-old, had been taken by Rosa to Mexico and was still residing there.”

In partnership with the FBI, it was determined that Reyes' biological mother had fled to Mexico with Andrea, however Mexican officials informed the FBI that they did not consider the offense of international parental kidnapping, and would not be assisting in Tenorio's extradition to the United States.

Through her investigation, Detective Nivakoff established contact with Andrea Reyes and with the help of the company Othram, which specializes in forensic genetic genealogy testing, they were able to confirm the relationship between father and daughter.

"Today's case was nice to see a good result, and that's what were chasing in our cases, it's incredibly empowering to see the end result, but there's more work to be done," Max Ponte, law enforcement liaison with Othram, said.

Andrea’s father, Carlos Reyes-Couvertier, spoke briefly at the podium.

"We have some sense of happiness, but the chapter is not closed yet,” Reyes-Couvertier said. 

While at the podium, he also thanked the New Haven Police Department, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and news outlets.

Andrea’s stepmother was also visibly emotional as she addressed the media while personally thanking Nivakoff for her diligent work.

“A 25-year old case is daunting but she willingly added us to her workload and checked in with us regularly. When we contacted Detective Nivakoff for information and a possible lead in our case, she listened and worked with us using DNA technology which led to the moment we were told we had found Andrea.”

Mayor Justin Elicker shared words of encouragement to the family, while sending a message to the public of the police department’s tireless dedication to solving cold cases.

“It's also a message that the New Haven Police Department and our partners at the FBI don’t give up hope either," Elicker said.

The Reyes family is planning a private reunification with Andrea, who is now 27 years old.

Police said a felony arrest warrant is out for Reyes' mother, however it can only be enforced in the United States.