15-Year-Old Girl Forced to Give Up Her Baby after Family Rift – 50 Years Later She Meets Her Grown-up Daughter

In a stunning revelation, Davina McCall, the host of ITV's "Long Lost Family," left Pauline Pedder astounded by disclosing that her long-lost daughter had been found and following her on social media for the past three years.

At 14, Pauline Pedder found herself pregnant, leading to a family dispute that ultimately resulted in her having to give her baby up for adoption. Throughout the years, she frequently pondered her child's fate, which led her to seek the assistance of the famous television show "Long Lost Family," known for reuniting relatives.

The show took on the mission of locating Pauline's daughter. Presenter Davina McCall delivered the surprising news that they had found her daughter, Carol Whitehead, who had been actively following her birth mother on social media for a considerable time.

"I was gobsmacked," shared Pauline. "I'd only joined Facebook in 2015 to keep up to date with family news." While Pauline felt a tinge of sadness, knowing they could have had those additional years together, the overwhelming joy of finally being reunited more than made up for the lost time.

Carol revealed that she embarked on a quest to find her biological family after the passing of her adoptive mother. With the help of a friend, she managed to locate Pauline's Facebook profile. Fearful of rejection, Carol silently observed her birth mother's status updates and shared pictures.

Instead of directly contacting Pauline, Carol saved a screenshot of her Facebook profile picture on her phone. She explained, "My partner and friends tried to persuade me to contact her, but I didn't know how she'd feel about me. Also, I could see from her Facebook pictures that she had kids and I didn't know if she'd said anything to them about me."

By chance, Carol stumbled upon Pauline's profile after a casual comment made by a friend. Recounting the incident, she said, "We were out one night and we were talking about adoption. She said to me, 'Do you want me to have a look for your mum?'"

The discovery happened so quickly one night, and Carol couldn't believe it. The resemblance was apparent from her picture, and her excitement made it difficult to fall back asleep. The next day, Carol delved into her Facebook page, curious about her life.

Pauline, who grew up with eight siblings in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was pregnant at 14. Unable to confide in her parents, she shared her secret with two close friends. Unfortunately, her principal eventually discovered the truth and expelled her from school. Although he provided a letter for Pauline to hand over to her parents, she never did.

Instead, she sought refuge at her boyfriend's house and pretended to attend school daily. However, her father confronted her after hearing rumors of one of his daughters being pregnant.

Recalling the difficult time, Pauline said, "My dad said, 'If you're having a baby, you won't be bringing the baby home here.'" Her dad also forbade Pauline from going out. She lost touch with her boyfriend, and her dad said that the baby would be put up for adoption.

While Pauline's older sister, Carol, offered to take in both Pauline and the baby, their father threatened to cut off contact with them if that were to happen. Consequently, arrangements were made for Pauline to reside in a mother-and-baby unit, a special facility for women with mental health problems during pregnancy, where she gave birth to a girl named Louise.

At just 15 years old, Pauline cared for her daughter, feeding and changing her and laundering her clothes. She fondly recalls, "I bonded with her immediately. I came from a big family and had to fight for my mum and dad's love. Mum was always having another baby but this little girl was my own baby to love."

However, her father was adamant, and she was told to say goodbye to her daughter and leave so the adoptive parents could come and pick up the child. Pauline recalled what she said to her little girl, "When you grow up, we might bump into each other in Woolworths and you'll remember me and I'll remember you.'"

All Pauline had to hold onto was a photograph taken during her pregnancy. She confessed, "I loved that picture, because it showed that she existed." It wasn't just a dream for her; it was reality. "I always kept it with me and every now and then, I'd look at it and think of her."

At 16, Pauline married and had four more children — Tracie, Steven, Samantha, and Stephanie. Despite her happiness, she always felt a void, sensing someone was missing from their lives. Nevertheless, Carol was always regarded as part of the family, and they would talk about her as if she were present, despite her physical absence.

While residing in Huddersfield with her partner Rohan, Carol enjoyed a happy childhood with her adoptive parents, Michael and Nora. At 18, she first attempted to find her birth mother but encountered numerous obstacles. "My mum got really upset that I was searching so that was another reason not to do it, and then I got pregnant when I was 18 so I put it to one side," Carol says.

Pauline resides with her second husband in Barnsley. She had always assumed that Carol's adoptive family would be from a different region. Remarkably, their paths nearly crossed on multiple occasions throughout the years. Pauline reflected, "I used to live a 10-minute walk from where Carol lives."

Carol even crossed paths with her sister Tracie while working at the discount store. However, when Pauline applied to appear on "Long Lost Family," the long-awaited reunion with Carol finally took place.

During their first encounter as adults, Pauline presented Carol with a bracelet symbolizing her five children. Pauline confessed, "We clicked the minute we met. We just talk and talk. There's no awkwardness – when one of us stops speaking, the other one starts. It's as if we've always been part of each other's lives. I went through a lot of heartache when I was younger, wondering where she was. Now, I feel my life is complete."