Pittsboro, N.C. — For six years, Kayley Taber shared tears and frustration with Florentina Coria.

Coria was the victim of a home invasion Oct. 1, 2006. Four men tied her up and snatched her son, then 2 years old, from her Siler City home. Jorge Sanchez Aguilera, the father of the boy, was among the attackers. 

Since that time, Taber, the Chatham County assistant district attorney, and the desperate mother have worked together in the search for Edwin Sanchez Gonzalez, who along with his father, disappeared to Mexico.

"This has been my case from the beginning, Taber said. The search required cooperation from the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, FBI, State Department and Raleigh and Cary police.

Tabor and Coria shared a small victory when Aguilera was arrested. "Initially, we did not get very good cooperation with Mexican authorities," Taber said.

Even after Aguilera's conviction, his relatives would not return Edwin to his mother.

“Information was getting to the people holding the child, and they were able to stay one step ahead of us,” Tabor said.

Still Coria held on to hope for her ultimate goal – a reunion with Edwin.

Then, Friday, Taber got an email during lunch. The boy's relatives had walked him to the border. He was safe in Texas. By mid-afternoon. Coria was on a plane, en route to a reunion with her now-8-year-old son.

"There were some tears," Taber said. This time, they were tears of joy.

“To finally get the child back after six years is just a tremendous achievement.”