Boy Kidnapped Aged 6 Found Living in California 73 Years Later

Above: Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, Oakland, CA, USA. Image copyright: Unsplash

The Facts

  • A man kidnapped from Oakland, California, in 1951 at age six, was reportedly found over seven decades later, in June this year, living on the US East Coast.

  • Luis Armando Albino — a Vietnam veteran, retired firefighter, and grandfather — was reportedly traced by his 63-year-old biological niece Alida Alequin.


The Spin

Narrative A

It's a remarkable endorsement of modern ancestry and DNA kits that they can produce such a result as this. These at-home testing kits are reuniting families, alerting individuals early on to serious diseases and conditions, and uncovering and demystifying the heritage of their users.

Narrative B

This story shouldn't obscure the real headline about home DNA testing kits — they are marred in issues, from undermining people's privacy to inaccurately diagnosing illnesses. Many experts have raised concerns at the unethical use of data by companies behind these products, as well as the burden on health services resulting from their errors. We should all be skeptical about the usage of these products.