New Mom Abandons Newborn Girl on the Street, Hears Her Voice for the First Time 30 Years Later

When a mother left her newborn daughter on the street, she had no idea what would happen years later. Her child grew up desperately seeking answers about her past, and thanks to kind search angels, she found them.

Aniya Smith was raised in a home filled with love and stability, but that's not how her life began. She was abandoned by her birth parents and always wondered about them.

Finally, three decades later, she was on the path to discovering more about herself and her biological mother and father. There was a lot to uncover, and she shocked countless people when she showed up in their lives.

Searching for Her Birth Parents

For many people, searching for their birth parents can be a challenging journey. But for one woman, the help of a genealogy sleuth made all the difference. After sharing the details of her past with the team at First Coast News in 2021, she was contacted by someone who offered to assist her.

With the help of this "search angel," she connected the dots and finally tracked down her half-sister. The revelation made through Ancestry DNA test was a significant breakthrough because it led to her birth father.

Smith was left wondering how this separation could have happened in the first place and was finally able to ask her birth mother the questions that had been haunting her for so long.

The First Words from Her Birth Father

During Smith's first phone call with her biological dad, she finally heard the words she longed to hear. Her dad asked for forgiveness. She shared:

"I can feel that it was something that he had been carrying with him for very long. I appreciated that moment of him telling me he was truly and deeply sorry, explaining his mindset and thought process at the time."

Nobody Knew Her Birth Mother Was Pregnant

With her father's help, Smith tracked down relatives on her maternal side. It was revealed that her birth parents were young when they had her in 1992 - her mother was only 18, and her father was just 19 years old.

Her mother hid the pregnancy from everyone, including her family, throughout the entire nine months. Smith said:

"They were shocked, really shocked, as you can imagine. No one knew about me. No one even knew my mom was pregnant."

Smith explained that her parents didn't know what to do after she was born—so they left her outside an apartment in Jacksonville's Riverside area.

Piecing Her Family Puzzle Together

For Smith, discovering her biological family was a slow and challenging process, with many pieces of the puzzle coming together over time.

One key player in her journey was Charles Thompson, her great-uncle, who couldn't believe the possibility that she might be his blood relative. But with a DNA test, the family ties were confirmed.

Smith was left wondering how this separation could have happened in the first place and was finally able to ask her birth mother the questions that had been haunting her for so long.

Speaking with Her Birth Mother for the First Time

Smith's long-awaited conversation with her birth mother was both nerve-wracking and exciting. After years of searching for answers, she finally had the chance to talk to the woman who brought her into this world.

Smith asked her birth mother a million questions because she "just wanted to know everything." Though her mother insisted she didn't abandon her, Smith still had doubts. She expressed:

"My mom did advise me she didn't leave me, but I don't believe that."

While she didn't receive all the answers she had been hoping for, she felt relieved to have finally spoken with her birth mother.

Meeting Her Family

Despite the painful past, Smith has moved on and holds no anger toward her birth parents. Instead, she is focused on building relationships with the family she never knew existed.

Her desire to connect with her siblings and both sides of her family is strong, and she's determined to make it happen.

Her uncle Thompson organized a video call to introduce her to other relatives and give her a warm welcome. The call was a success, and Smith looked forward to meeting her family in person with her son Zion. Thompson added:

"I plan on giving her a 30-year hug. I'm just going to hold her and tell her that she is loved by all of us here, and she is a part of this family."

The Online Reaction

Netizens were touched by the woman's story and many wished her well on the journey of connecting with her long lost relatives. Users also thanked the search groups who help people find their family members:

"She is beautiful! I don’t know the circumstances, but I'm sure her father must be so proud to meet her."

- (Stephanie Cribb Garrett) December 30, 2022

"It's a beautiful ending to a very sad beginning. I'm glad she was reunited with her birth family."

- (Tammy Targonski Morrison) December 30, 2022

"The people that work as Search Angels are AMAZING! There are many Facebook groups out there that can help with that if anyone is looking!!"

- (Sally Lowe Mangham) December 30, 2022

"I really want to do something similar and this is encouraging."

- (Ashley Elizabeth) December 31, 2022

Despite being left on a doorstep as a newborn and spending nearly 30 years without knowing her birth parents, Smith never gave up on the hope of finding them.

Through the help of a genealogy sleuth, DNA testing, and a lot of patience, she was able to piece together her family puzzle. While the journey had many challenges, Smith found closure and is now building relationships with her newfound relatives.

Click here for another emotional story about a child abandoned on a doorstep. To her surprise, she received a letter 23 years later.