49 Years Later, Woman Discovered in NYC Phone Booth as an Infant Searches for Answers
— -- On July 17, 1965, a baby girl, believed to be two days old, was left in a phone booth on Manhattan’s Upper West Side at the corner of 88th St. and Columbus Avenue.
It was about 5:30 p.m. The sun had not yet set, when Pedro Martinez, who lived close by, saw a large crowd gathered around the corner and went to investigate. Once he got there, he discovered an infant wearing a diaper and rubber pants. A Catholic St. Jude medal was pinned to the light blanket she was wrapped in. Martinez picked her up and took her to the New York City Police Department’s 24th precinct.
In those days, she was called a “foundling,” and today that baby, now 49 years old, is still searching for answers about her past.
Her name is Louise Jones. After being found abandoned in the phone booth, Jones was put up for adoption. Shortly after, she was adopted and moved to Staten Island. Jones grew up and went on to have her own family and blossoming career in finance.
When she was in her early 20s, Jones discovered she was adopted when a friend of hers accidentally let the secret slip. Soon after she learned more of the shocking details surrounding her birth. This launched her quest to find out who her biological parents are and why they left her in that phone booth.
Today, her case remains a mystery and the identities of her biological parents are still unknown.
Here’s Where to Start Looking for Long-Lost Loved Ones
To dig deeper into her background, Jones hired her friend Pam Slaton, a renowned genealogist, to look into her case.
Slaton has put in endless hours into uncovering Jones’ past, trying to piece together any clues along the way. DNA tests have yielded no results, and Slaton has hit dead end after dead end trying to track down anyone who may know what happened on that summer day in 1965.
ABC News’ “20/20” is now helping Jones and Slaton solve the mystery of her true identity. If you can help, please send any clues or tips to ABC News HERE or Pam Slaton’s private tip line, HERE: http://www.pamelaobr.com/
