Thursday 15 September 2022 09:17 PM Age-progression photo leads to reported sighting of Texas toddler who vanished ... trends now
A Texas toddler who mysteriously vanished in 1971 after being taken by someone claiming to be a babysitter, may have been spotted some 50 years later.
Melissa Highsmith was only 21-months-old when she was kidnapped on August 23, 1971 in Fort Worth, Texas by a woman wearing a scarf and long white gloves on a hot summer day. The purported sitter had answered an ad placed by Melissa's mom, who was looking for help watching her child after a separation.
The decades-old cold case may have broken open this week after an anonymous tipster called the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children claiming they saw someone matching an age progression photo released by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The person said the area they were spotted was by Daniel Island, north of Charleston proper, (NCMEC) reported.
The age-progression photo of Melissa Highsmith, who would be 52 years old today. An anonymous tipster says they saw someone who matched the photo near Charleston, South Carolina
Melissa Highsmith was 21 months old when she was abducted by a woman claiming to be her babysitter. The toddler was 2 feet 8 inches tall, 26 pounds with brown hair and brown hazel eyes. A red three-inch mark on her back just below her neck was one distinguishing feature
A black and white composite of the babysitter, identified as Ruth Johnson, was produced. The last person to see baby Melissa was the mother's roommate. She said the babysitter was wearing white gloves and appeared 'nice' and was 'dressed to impress'
Jeff Highsmith, the missing woman's younger brother, learned of the exciting new development on Facebook and went on NewsNation Prime on Tuesday to share his reaction.
He created a Facebook page: Help Find Melissa Highsmith in hopes of gathering any leads.
'We believe she's still alive. And obviously, somebody else does too in South Carolina,' Highsmith said as he wife, Rachel, sat beside him.
For decades, Highsmith, who was born nine years after after Melissa's disappearance, told Inside Edition Digital that he has been trying to trying to fin her and bring closure to his parents who are now both in their 70s.
Although Jeff never met his
