Missing Poster Helps Reunite Girl Kidnapped 9 Years Ago With Her Family

The accused, who has been arrested by police, said he kidnapped her because he didn't have any kids of his own.

On 22 January 2013, a seven-year-old girl went missing after leaving for school in Mumbai's Andheri neighbourhood. Nine years later, she has finally been reunited with her family with the help of a missing poster's digital copy.

Photo: Twitter/@MumbaiPolice

On 22 January 2013, a seven-year-old girl went missing after leaving for school in Mumbai's Andheri neighbourhood. Nine years later, she has finally been reunited with her family with the help of a missing poster's digital copy.

The seven-year-old was reportedly approached by a person named Henry Joseph D'Souza, who allegedly offered her edibles and abducted her. The accused, who has been arrested by the police, said that he kidnapped her because he didn't have any children of his own back then.

The story of the missing girl was reported in the media back in 2013 as well. A search campaign was also launched. However, she couldn't be found at the time.

The policeman who was in charge of her case, Assistant Sub-Inspector Rajendra Dhondu Bhosle of DN Nagar Police Station, spent the last nine years investigating the case – two years as a cop and seven years as an ex-cop.

Bhosle, before he retired in 2015, tracked down 165 missing girls. However, he never managed to find the girl who went missing in Andheri.

How Was She Found?

The accused, Henry Joseph D'Souza, sent the kidnapped girl to a hostel in his native place in Raichur, Karnataka, upon realising his mistake.

Milind Kurde, DN Nagar Station Senior Inspector, told The Indian Express that in 2016, D'Souza and his wife Soni had a child of their own and it was becoming difficult to meet the expenses of raising two children.

D'Souza called the kidnapped girl back to Mumbai and moved her to the same Gilbert Hill area of Andheri (West) Mumbai. A family got her to work as a babysitter.

"Her missing posters were also gone. Further, the accused ensured that the girl didn’t talk to anyone in the area."

Milind Kurde

The girl didn't recognise any of her family members despite living in the same locality. However, one night, under the influence of alcohol, D'Souza told her that he had picked her up from someplace in 2013. She, however, could not do anything about it at the time.

Reunited With Her Family, Accused Arrested 

The domestic worker at the house where the girl was employed as a babysitter came to her aid. She searched for her name on the internet with the term 'missing' and succeeded in finding a missing poster from then. It had the contact numbers of five people.

Out of the five numbers on the poster, only one, which belonged to her neighbour Rafique, got connected over phone. Rafique arranged a video call with the girl's mother, who recognised her instantly.

In a tearful reunion, the girl met her family after nine years on Thursday, 4 August. Her father, however, died before he could witness it.

A case has been registered against D'Souza under the sections of abduction and unlawful labour, among others. His wife has also been named as an accused in the case, the police said.

(With inputs from Indian Express)