Man abducted 19 years ago reunites with family

22-year-old Zhan Weiwei, who was abducted 19 years ago, reunites with his biological parents on April 11, in Ankang city, Northwest China's Shaanxi province. [Photo/VCG]

A 22-year-old man that was abducted when he was only 3 finally reunited with his biological parents on April 11, thanks to a DNA database that tries to link abducted people with their families, in Ankang city, Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

The abduction took place one evening in March 1997. His mom was working at a coal mine, and the two stayed in the company's women's dormitory. One night when they were about to go to bed, somebody knocked on their door. Thinking it was one of their acquaintances, the mother opened the door, and a well-built young man stormed in, beating the woman while suffocating her under a quilt. As she struggled to get out of the quilt, the man left and her boy was gone.

In 2015, the parents had their blood samples taken at a local police station, who uploaded their DNA information to a DNA database, that was built by China's Ministry of Public Security in April 2009. Their information was matched to a young man that was in Jiangsu province. The police in Jiangsu located the young man, conducted further physical examinations and interviews, and confirmed he is the biological son of the couple.

After being abducted when was a boy, Zhan Weiwei was sold to a man surnamed Li, who never got married but always wanted a kid, for 13,000 yuan ($2012). Li treated him very well through the years. Zhan said he would take care of both Li and his biological parents as they age.