Missing San Antonio girl returned to mother

Father who took 1-year-old still running from the law

Michael Franco was reunited with his sister, Genisis, Friday. She had been missing for more than six months.

SAN ANTONIO – For half a year, Kassandra Yzaguirre had no idea where her 1-year-old daughter Genisis Franco was.

The little girl's dad, 28-year-old Michael Franco, allegedly violated a joint custody agreement and took off with the child last August.

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"It kind of freaked me out that he did what he did because I didn't expect him to do that 'cause I know that he loves his kids," Yzaguirre said.

Yzaguirre said she reached out to Franco's family repeatedly but got nowhere.

"They changed their numbers, they moved, they were doing everything possible to just basically stay away from me," Yzaguirre said.

Initially police weren't able to help Yzaguirre because they determined it was a civil matter for the courts.

When Franco stopped showing up to court dates and couldn't be found for months, SAPD investigators asked the public to help find him and the missing girl.

Within hours of his picture being shown on local news stations, Franco dropped Genisis off with a family member who contacted police and set up the reunion.

Just days away from her second birthday, little Genisis is back to playing with her big brother Michael who, until last Friday, hadn't seen his little sister in six and half months. Yzaguirre said her daughter is getting back into the swing of things around her house.

"Since she's been home, we've been good. We've been trying to get her on schedule," Yzaguirre said. "She's been pretty much like if she never left."

Despite the ordeal, Yzaguirre said she still thinks Franco is a good dad and she wants him to have a relationship with his kids.

"Whenever he finishes what he's doing, I would want him to see his kids, maybe supervised for a little while just so I can feel comfortable, but I want him to see his kids," Yzaguirre said. "His kids miss him and if he doesn't care about himself, at least care about what his kids think or how they feel because his son is really hurting without him."

Michael Franco is still wanted for custodial interference. If you know where he is you are urged to contact SAPD.

For a list of recent stories Tim Gerber has done, click here.

Michael Franco