A child in Kentucky was kidnapped by her own mother in 1983. The child, identified as Michelle Marie Newton, was taken by her mother when she was just 3 years old. At the time, her mother had separated from her husband, Joseph Newton.
Michelle was reported abducted on April 2, according to Jefferson County authorities.
The girl was raised by her mother, Debra (her former name), without ever being told her true identity or the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. Her mother moved from Louisville to Georgia, claiming she was leaving to find a job and establish a new home.
Joseph later discovered that his daughter was missing and remained in contact with Debra until 1985. Debra later changed her name to Sharon to avoid being located by her husband or law enforcement. The name change helped her remain hidden for more than four decades.
Woman arrested after 40 years for abducting her daughter and changing her identity, her daughter had no idea she was reported missing when she was 3 yrs old pic.twitter.com/Wa5yMxGVCP
— ҒβΔ GΩDDΣSS✨ΔΠDRΣΔ (@FBAGoddess444) December 17, 2025
After that, she vanished. With no resolution in the case, the three-year-old’s details were eventually removed from the missing persons database. This decision significantly affected the investigation, which remained unsolved for more than four decades. The father’s unavailability also hampered the case, and it was eventually closed.
In 2016, however, a family member pushed for the case to be reopened. Police later received a tip that led them to the mother, who had been evading law enforcement for years. Investigators followed the lead and ultimately located Sharon Nealy living in a retirement home.
A video of Sharon’s arrest later went viral. In the footage, she jokes about whether the police had come to get her, unaware that they were there to arrest her. Debra—also known as Sharon—who had been listed among the FBI’s most wanted parental kidnappers, was finally taken into custody.
NEW: Woman arrested 40 years later for abducting a child as friend jokes, “Uh oh, they’re coming for you, Sharon”
A Kentucky girl who went missing 40 years ago was found living under a new name in another state
Michelle Newton, born in 1983, vanished from Louisville at age… pic.twitter.com/7ZA7RM3q5Z
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) December 17, 2025
People commented on the now-viral video, with one person writing, “Wow, talk about an uncomfortable joke a second later, they were there for her.” Another shocked user posted, “This entire situation is awful. I can’t even begin to imagine what that poor woman is going through.”
Meanwhile, police went to Michelle’s home to inform her of the discovery. She was reportedly shocked, having spent her entire life unaware of her true family.
An interview with WLKY showed that everyone involved was emotional during the reunion, as Joseph revealed how they had carried her in their hearts all these years. “I can’t explain that moment of walking in and getting to put my arms back around my daughter.” Debra is currently out on bail while awaiting arraignment on a felony charge.
Debra’s neighbors said they were stunned by the revelations and believe more details should be investigated. They had known her as Sharon for years and continued to express support for her despite the criminal charges.
Online users expressed confusion over the case, particularly given that the abduction was carried out by Michelle’s own mother. One person commented, “This was the girl’s own mother! Why did you make it sound like this woman kidnapped some random child?”
