Am I your missing daughter?
Jane Doe, 40, Believes She is a Kidnapped Child

by Jane Doe

[Editor's note: "Jane Doe" emailed saying "I am your poster child". This article quotes selections from this remarkable story using the pen-name Jane Doe. Then, as part of a Keene Kids News investigation, Jane Doe's description is summarized below, so that her birth parents and family might recognize her.]

Jan 6, 2004 ... I am a 40 year old woman in a state of shock. In my attempt to make sense of my world, I began trying to find some sort of resource.

... I ordered my birth certificate this summer after a lifetime of questions my "parents" shamed me for asking. Questions like, "Why are all my sisters blonde and I am brunette? Why am I the only person in our family with a different blood type? Why don't I mirror the features of my family?, Why don't I have a birth certificate?". The response, "How could a child say these things to her parents. What is wrong with you?".

The truth -- my name, birth-date and birth-town -- are all fraudulent. There is absolutely no record of me. I had a very extensive, expensive search done for three years [regarding] ... my fraudulent birthdate -- nothing.

... my instinct told me that in all probability I am a kidnapped child.

[Regarding Missing Keene Kids,] Sadly, I didn't even need to be turned against my parents. I was unaware of their existence until the present. This discovery sent my "family" running for cover. I have not heard a peep from my "Mother" or three "sisters". Criminals usually run from the scene of the crime. They have absolutely nothing to say to me. Loving family, eh?

So -- no Birth Certificate, no Name, no Birthdate, no Birth Place. Good Grief! My poor parents -- whoever they are. I am sure they shared the same heartache you did over the years. Worse, they probably assumed because of my young age, I would not know my name. They are right.

I celebrated my very first UN-Birthday this year. I know it isn't my real birthday, but have another 363 days to eliminate. I wonder what my real birthstone is, what my real horoscope would reveal, how old I really am.

These are the things that start bubbling up in your mind. Such a cruel thing to do to a human being!

Jan 9, 2004 ... The lie I have lived my entire life is far more credible than the truth. ... I did not wake up one day and decide I would turn my life upside down.

My life was reordered April 1, 2003, when I was casually looking in my cedar chest. I stumbled upon my baby book and began flipping through. As a child, this book passed. Now, an adult with her own child, it screamed at me to take a closer look. The very first thing that caught my eye was my footprint. The moment I lifted up the edge of the paper and saw an article on the back, sheer panic flooded my body. Then, another "picture" of me as an infant, with an article about sailboats on the back.

My baby book was constructed from magazine clippings, just like a collage a child might make in elementary school. What was missing was any remotely authentic birth document. No hospital tags, no newspaper announcement, no pictures. Just my "Mother's" handwritten account of my infancy.

With baby book in hand and her own devious imagination, she rewrote the story of my life to fit her agenda. It worked for almost 40 years! Each lie carefully built on the lifetime of lies, until the bottom fell out.

Life has a way of putting you on paths you could never have chosen on your own, with a passion that reaches beyond the depths of your soul. If you would have told me I would be sitting in an adoption support group meeting, or writing to a Doctor about kidnapping six months ago, I would have laughed. I'm not laughing.

I have no choice but to get back on the proverbial horse. I have spent six months trying to wrap my head around my life situation. I have spent even more time trying to dull this indescribable pain. Until now, I have been unsuccessful. The only way out is through the fire, and I am geared up and ready to go. ...

What I hold on to in my deepest moments is this one truth: I am and always have been the same person despite my life circumstances. I can only look like those who gave me my genes. It takes no effort to be me. My dimple, my deep blue eyes, my intellect, even more amazing, my integrity, my honor, my inherent gifts which do not mirror or match those I spent the first 16+/- years of my life with.

These parts, I firmly believe, cannot be altered through abuse, deception or lies. You cannot kidnap a soul. ...

I believe I am as far from my roots as my kidnappers could possibly run without leaving the country. ... We traveled extensively as children. ... Interestingly enough, my passport is the only form of identification I have ever used, and I had it as a young child.

The only other birth document I posses is a baptismal record. I am told this is a loophole used in my days to obtain false documents. It is my understanding that an infant can be given any name by the "parents" during the baptismal ceremony and then this "official" document can be used in lieu of a birth certificate. ...

Jan 12, 2004 ... In the next few days, I will begin compiling information. ...

I contacted my "Mother's" sister for the first time in at least ten years. She has been very helpful, ... [and] shared the fact that her husband of over 30 years did mention how different I looked from my siblings, how I appeared out of nowhere.

Jan 17, 2004 ... a woman in [omitted] discovered she had been taken from her family some 35 years ago. Her story was rooted in the same sort of deception, however, her "mother" had been willing to come clean and provide some names.

The "Mother" had told this woman that she had taken her from a life so horrible that this woman was grateful to have been "saved" by this good Samaritan. She was told her mother was a drug addict among other things. Her abduction occurred in [omitted] by her biological Father and his mistress. When things fell apart between the Father and his girlfriend, the girlfriend took the child and never tried to locate the Mother.

This now grown woman, [omitted], finally met her biological Mother recently. She was far from the addict her abductor spoke of. She was a Mother who NEVER stopped looking for her child. Her entire family knew of her, and each Birthday the entire family bought a cake and hoped one day they would celebrate with her.

That day finally came. After reading the article, I contacted the journalist who wrote it. It has been over a month, and [omitted] gave the newspaper permission for me to make contact under certain conditions (giving a sort of password). I cannot wait to speak with her -- hopefully soon.

What I found interesting is how quickly the group of adoptees at a support group were able to tell me with complete certainty that the birth certificate my "Mother" provided to me was a fake. It was missing really obvious things to them....like some sort of number that should be on the document, and a seal. They know all the tricks of the trade, so to speak. I wonder if other documents will have similar glaring problems.

Jan 20, 2004 I have always felt empowered, in control of my life, and safe in the world. ... If I could place my trust in an entire family that could toss me away ..., my mantra has been, "Closed for reconstruction".

I am in the tear down phase of this reconstruction. Picture a gutted-out building with spectacular plans, but right now there is still dust and rubble to be hauled off before the new stuff can enter ... that's me.

[Editor's note: Per a request, Jane Doe describes herself. Could this be your missing daughter? Certain specifics are omitted to prevent inappropriate contacts with Jane Doe.]

I graduated at the top of my class in High School, was involved in many sports, and other academic groups. Math seems to be our [she and her son] genetic gift. I took the National Math Test for my High School as the top math student. My son is in Algebra based on his math results from his national test results. He is receiving High School credits this year while still in middle school. ...

College was a breeze for me as well. I rarely studied outside of class and had an active social life. I graduated with a four year degree in three years. ...

I am average in every way. I have an average shoe size 7 1/2, average height, 5'7", and my weight is within a normal range... I have blue eyes, fair skin, naturally curly brunette hair. I have larger ears than the average gal ..., but I am aware that they are an unusual feature worth mentioning. [Blood type O+, no birthmarks.].

I haven't given you many specifics....mostly because I don't have many true details. My false birth name is [omitted]. My false birthday is October 24, 1963, and my false birthplace is [omitted]. This information with an official seal from the director of vital statistics for the State of [omitted] does not exist.

The only thing this information is useful for is my track record. I have never been in any legal trouble, have a work history, education, financial history, etc, linked to this name that is honorable.

What a waste, eh? ... because I don't exist in theory.

It does amaze me that I held such a high level (speaking from security and access to secure privileged locations) of freedom to [omitted]. I supposedly had the highest level of background check prior to being hired. We had fingerprinting, full background, medical records, blood work and yearly physicals as a condition of employment. For 14 years I was randomly drug and alcohol tested as an obvious requirement of such a high level of accountability and safety to the [omitted].

All this for a non-existant human being.

[Editor's note: The above text is Copyright 2004 by its author writing under the pen-name Jane Doe.]

Copyright © 2004 James J. Keene
Original Publication: Jan 20, 2004

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