Family say after Christopher was snatched, his late mother Bernice Abeyta was left with a 'hole in her heart'. Photo / Facebook
A man has come forward claiming he is the 7-month-old baby who was kidnapped from his crib 32 years ago.
Relatives of Christopher Abeyta, who was taken from his Colorado Springs home, say their hopes have been raised by the man's claims - particularly as he has a photo of himself as a toddler that backs up his case.
It's also believed the anonymous man's story of growing up could help convince the family he's the missing person, The Daily Mail reports.
Investigators have put out various impressions of what he could look like now.
However, real photographs over various years are a better indication and the new finding could finally help crack the case.
It has given the family a glimmer of hope, but the image has not been shared with the public.
The family haven't shared what details about the man's upbringing have made them believe he could be Christopher.
Colorado Bureau of Investigation says it could take "some time" to come back with the man's DNA results to put an end to speculation.
While Abeyta's sister Denise Alvez admits the image was good enough to "make someone take a second look at it," Colorado Springs law enforcement aren't as convinced, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.
The publication reports while the bureau is investigating the claim, it thinks there will be a negative outcome.
"Unfortunately at this time it does not appear this will be credible information. However, we are working to confirm," cold case Commander Jeff Jensen said yesterday. Law enforcement won't reveal why they're not as hopeful as the family.
The father and mother took heritage tests to determine their background and possibly help identify any relation between those who come forward.
Christopher's mother Bernice Abeyta died aged 73 last year after a battle with gallbladder cancer. She was revealed to have Scandinavian and British roots.
Dad, Gil Abeyta, is 32 per cent Native American and 55 per cent European, according to the DNA test results.
The family have been convinced they'd found Christopher three times in the past.
They resorted to not telling their mother when they had a lead to avoid disappointment.
Alvez was 15 when her brother was taken on July 15, 1986. She was asleep in the room next to him when he was kidnapped from his crib.
Bernice and Gil woke to found no trace of their son and searched the house before calling police at 6.30am.
Detectives said there were no signs of forced entry at the address but the front door was unlocked and a window had been left open.
"This individual believes that he's Christopher," Alvez said, describing waiting as a "rollercoaster of emotions".
"You want it so bad. It doesn't stop. Regardless of the outcome, if it doesn't turn out to be him, we'll keep seeking answers,"she added.
Before she died, Christopher's mother travelled the country to follow tips about what happened to her son.
A Facebook page dedicated to the missing case revealed Bernice was left with "a hole in her heart" after all the efforts to find her son.
It's also believed the person who took baby Christopher was seeking personal revenge on the family and it's thought to be a woman.
"'Your brain is telling you not to but your heart is saying this might be it," Christopher's sister Linnea Abeyta told KKTV about having hope for the return of her brother.
There's a $100,000 reward for anyone who can help find a suspect which leads to an arrest in the case.
"We just want some peace or some closure," Alvez said.
The family continues to appeal on Facebook. An August 29 post reads: "Maybe you were fearful of retribution from the kidnapper. You aren't alone. No one can blame you. Or, maybe you tried to talk with the authorities before and they made you uneasy in some way. You can come forward now and tell us what you know without concern."