The family of Alexis Patterson, the Milwaukee girl who disappeared more than a decade ago, has never wavered in their belief that she's alive.
Now, they have new hope that they're right.
Milwaukee police have tested the DNA of a woman in Ohio who investigators say could be Alexis.
Senator Lena Taylor has been helping Alexis Patterson's family through this new development. Looking at pictures of the Ohio woman at the center of a missing person's investigation, Taylor is convinced.
"When I looked at the wedding picture, oh my God, I got chills," she said. "It looks a lot like Alexis to me. I personally think she is Alexis."
Patterson's mother reached out to Taylor's office last week when she first learned a Bryan, Ohio woman may be her lost daughter.
"We contacted the sheriff's office and they were literally in Ohio in less than 24 hours," Taylor said.
Law enforcement has confirmed a DNA sample was taken from the woman who denied to TODAY'S TMJ4 she is not the 7-year-old missing girl.
This latest lead came from the woman's ex-husband that started to get curious about the Ohio woman's past and reached out to local law enforcement.
"I thank goodness for the sheriff's department acting as rapidly as they do," Taylor said. "They were literally in front of the woman with the law enforcement from that area in less than 24 hours. They were on it."
As the family and law enforcement wait on test results, only time will tell if DNA has cracked a 14 year old cold case.
"Imagine for 14 years you have been searching for your child and you believe that, you believe that you are there, but you have to wait you have to let the process happen," Taylor said.
It could take up to 10 days for the DNA results to come back.
