A missing child case in Florida has come to a close with a happy ending after 14 long years.
Jacqueline Hernandez was living with her mother, Angelica Vences-Salgado, in Florida when she was 6 years old. Her parents were separated, so when the child was abducted from her home, many believed her father was responsible.
The story as to what happened isn't entirely clear. Still, 14 years later, an unbelievable breakthrough has reunited mother and daughter. A now 19-year-old Jacqueline reached out to her mother on social media and said she was in Mexico, wishing to meet her at the border. The Orange County Sheriff's Office, the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange, Homeland Security Investigations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement worked with Angelica to confirm the young woman was, in fact, her daughter.
On September 10, Angelica and Jacqueline were reunited in Laredo, Texas, at the US–Mexico border. Various law enforcement agencies confirmed the young woman's identity through questioning and documentation.
"A kidnapped daughter was reunited with her mother as a result of enforcement working together," Davide Pezzutti, Homeland Security Orlando assistant special agent in charge, said in a statement.
"This is a great example of how strong partnerships in law-enforcement can work to solve problems no matter the complexity or distance."
Jacqueline is believed to have been taken by her father, Pablo Hernandez, on December 2, 2007. At the time, a warrant for kidnapping was issued, with authorities warning that the father may have taken his daughter to Mexico.
It's unclear whether Pablo will face any repercussions if that is proven to be true. No further details have been provided as to what brought Jacqueline to reach out now, but the happy reunion photo shows that the best possible outcome has arrived for this family.
There's a lot of lost time to be made up for, but for this mother and daughter, the first step has been the most important. Jacqueline's loved ones can sleep a little easier knowing that after 14 years, she's safe and sound.
