In just a few days, Delimar Vera may be moving in with her birth mother.
Images: Philadelphia Kidnapping
According to authorities, the girl was kidnapped six years ago in the confusion of a fire and raised by the alleged kidnapper, Carolyn Correa. She was just 10 days old. Her birth mother, Luz Aida Cuevas, recently attended a birthday party where she saw the girl and knew immediately that she was her daughter. DNA later confirmed Cuevas' suspicion. Correa is in jail on $1 million bail.
Now, it looks like Delimar's story may be turned into a TV movie.
Over the six years Delimar spent away from her mother, the girl was known as Aaliyah and had a talent manager. She has posed in print ads and has appeared on a Nickelodeon show, in an episode of Blues Clues and in an ad for Time magazine.
The Cuevas family has received about a dozen movie offers so far, and they have hired entertainment lawyer Alexander Murphy Jr. of West Chester, Pa.
Mother And Child Reunion
Cuevas waited six years to be reunited with her daughter and as of Friday afternoon she had spent time with her on two separate occasions.
When Cuevas walked into the room during their first meeting, she didn't see her daughter and was worried the girl didn't want to see her. Then Delimar popped up from under the table and yelled, "Surprise!"
"The meeting went well," New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services spokesman Andy Williams told the Courier-Post of Cherry Hill for Friday's editions. "We'll keep moving toward reunification."
State Rep. Angel Cruz, who represents the largely Hispanic neighborhood where Cuevas lives, accompanied her to the reunion and said she was "thrilled" to finally see her daughter face-to-face. Cuevas told him that Delimar called her Mommy and told her that she accepts her.
Delimar is in a New Jersey foster home, but she should be living permanently with Cuevas by Monday evening according to a plan approved by a judge. Cuevas will have full custody and the girl's birth father, Pedra Vera, will be allowed supervised visitation.
After speaking with counselors, Cuevas said she would initially call the girl by the name she has used over the last six years, Aaliyah. But she will gradually change over to the girl's birth name -- Delimar.
Cuevas told reporters that she intends on moving so she can raise her daughter in privacy. She is concerned over the language barrier because she speaks little English and Delimar does not speak Spanish. She said that she would teach her daughter her language and will also take her to Puerto Rico.
Fire Department Investigating 1997 Blaze
Police said they believe that in 1997, Correa set fire to Cuevas' home and in the confusion took the girl. The fire department could not find any trace of the girl in the charred wreckage and it was determined that the girl had died in the fire and that she had burned up completely.
The finger-pointing has already begun in the case. The fire department has already launched its investigation into the handling of the fire, and the Philadelphia City Council will hold public hearings to find out exactly what happened that night six years ago.
Cuevas says she thinks a language barrier may have contributed to the confusion leading to authorities declaring her daughter dead. She said she thinks firefighters did not understand her when she said her child was still alive and not in her crib.
"I say, 'The baby is not in the room,'" Cuevas said.
NBC 10 News in Philadelphia learned that part of the fire department's investigation is focused on former Fire Marshal Vince Heaney, who failed to rule that the fire was an arson.
NBC 10 also learned that Heaney was told that investigators are also looking into tax cases over the years, because he has handled some controversial cases where he may not have ruled those particular fires as arsons.
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