In an undated missing-persons flyer issued by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, a three-year-old girl named Michelle “Shelley” Newton smiles brightly at the camera. She is dressed in a sailor-style outfit, her grin revealing the small gap between her front baby teeth. Beneath the photograph, a short but chilling statement appears: “Michelle was taken by her mother.”

More than four decades later, that child—now 46 years old—has finally uncovered the truth about her past and begun a long process of healing. Her mother, Debra Newton, now faces a felony charge related to the decades-old disappearance.

Michelle vanished in the spring of 1983 after Debra Newton told her husband, Joseph Newton, that she was moving from Louisville, Kentucky, to Georgia to start a new job and prepare a home for the family, according to a news release from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The plan, Joseph later recalled, was for the family to reunite after Debra got settled.

In a 1986 interview with CNN affiliate WLKY, Joseph Newton said Debra left early with Michelle. When he later traveled to Georgia to meet them, they were nowhere to be found.

Sometime between 1984 and 1985, Joseph and Debra had what authorities describe as a “final phone call.” After that conversation, both mother and daughter disappeared completely. Investigators soon issued a warrant charging Debra Newton with custodial interference.

“Wouldn’t you want your child back—at least to see her grow up?” Joseph asked during the 1986 interview, his voice reflecting years of uncertainty and loss.

At one point, investigators believed Michelle might be living in Clayton County, Georgia, a suburban area south of Atlanta. However, despite nationwide searches and Debra Newton’s inclusion on the FBI’s list of most-wanted parental-kidnapping fugitives, the case stalled. In 2000, the Commonwealth of Kentucky dismissed the case after authorities were unable to locate Joseph Newton.

Five years later, Michelle—by then in her twenties—was removed from national missing-child databases. Records indicate that both her listing with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and her mother’s warrant were recalled in 2005 due to inaccurate or incomplete information.

The case remained dormant until 2016, when a family member urged detectives to take another look. That renewed interest ultimately led to a breakthrough.

Earlier this year, authorities received a Crime Stoppers tip about a woman living in Marion County, Florida, who appeared to match Debra Newton but was using a different name. A U.S. Marshals Task Force detective compared recent photographs to images from 1983, and a Jefferson County detective confirmed the resemblance.

DNA evidence provided the final confirmation. Samples collected from Debra Newton’s sister in Louisville showed a 99.9% match to the woman in Florida.

When law enforcement officers contacted Michelle, the revelation was life-altering. “They told me, ‘You’re not who you think you are,’” Michelle said in an interview with WLKY. “‘You’re a missing person. You’re Michelle Marie Newton.’”

According to the sheriff’s office, Michelle—who had lived her entire life under a different identity—reached out to authorities after learning the truth. That phone call led to an emotional reunion with family members she had not seen since early childhood, including her father.

“She didn’t realize she was a victim until she saw everything she had missed,” said Chief Deputy Col. Steve Healey. “That realization has been incredibly powerful for her.”

Joseph Newton described the reunion as indescribable. “She’s always been in our heart,” he said. “Being able to hold my daughter again after all these years—it felt like the day she was born. Like an angel.”

Law enforcement officials say the resolution of the case highlights decades of persistence and a belief that no family seeking help should ever be turned away. Healey also emphasized the importance of public cooperation, noting that a single tip ultimately changed the course of Michelle’s life.

“People think calling in tips is snitching,” he said. “It’s not. You’re helping victims. You’re helping families. This case proves that one phone call can change everything.”

Debra Newton was arraigned in Louisville on a felony charge of custodial interference. Kentucky law places no statute of limitations on felony custodial-kidnapping charges. A family member traveled to Kentucky to post her bond, and she voluntarily appeared in court.

Both Michelle and Joseph Newton attended the arraignment.

Michelle has made it clear that she is not choosing sides. “My intention is to support them both,” she said. “I want to help them find closure so that we can all heal and move forward.”