A Night That Changed Everything
In early 2011, Steve Carter from Philadelphia was casually browsing a missing persons website. He had no idea that this simple action would unravel one of the longest-standing child disappearance cases in United States history.
Early Life and Adoption
Steve knew from a young age that he was adopted. His adoptive parents brought him home from an orphanage in Honolulu, Hawaii when he was four years old. Being so young, he had little memory of life before adoption.
Raised with love and care, Steve grew up happy. He never thought about finding his biological parents. That changed after he got married and started considering having children, sparking curiosity about his origins. 
Inspiration From a Famous Case
His inspiration came from the case of Carlina White, a girl kidnapped from a New York hospital when she was only 19 days old. Twenty years later, she discovered her true identity after spotting her childhood photo on a missing child website. Steve wanted to try the same method.
The Photo That Sent Shivers Down His Spine
He logged onto a missing children website and searched using keywords like “Hawaii” and “missing for 34 years.” One photo made him break out in goosebumps.
The missing child was listed as Marx Panama Barnes. The page included both a baby photo and a computer-generated image of what he might look like at 26.
Steve’s immediate thought: “That’s me.” The blue eyes and blonde hair were unmistakable. Friends and his adoptive mother confirmed the resemblance.
DNA Confirmation
Steve contacted the Honolulu Police Department. DNA testing was arranged. Eight agonizing months later, the results confirmed the truth: he was indeed Marx Panama Barnes.
Steve couldn’t believe it. The scenario felt like a movie plot. Yet, he had solved a mystery that had baffled police for over 30 years.
Reconnecting With Family
After confirming his identity, Steve began searching for relatives he had never met. He discovered a half-sister, Jennifer Monnheimer, who was eight when he went missing. She had believed her brother was gone but persuaded police to reopen the case, leading to the generation of the facial prediction photo that changed everything.
Steve also contacted his biological father, Mark Barnes, living in California. After 30 years, they finally spoke. Through his father, Steve learned the full story of his disappearance.
The Kidnapping
On June 21, 1977, when Steve was six months old, his biological mother, Charlotte Moriarty, took him from their home in Hawaii, claiming they were going for a walk. She never returned.
At first, Mark didn’t notice. Charlotte often left with the child but always came back. After three weeks without news, he realized something was wrong and reported it to the police.
At almost the same time, nearby police stations received reports of a woman bringing a young child into strangers’ homes. Charlotte was using the name Jana May and gave Steve a false identity, claiming he had partial Hawaiian ancestry and deliberately falsifying his birth date.
Life in an Orphanage
Charlotte was sent to a psychiatric hospital but disappeared a few days later and has never been found. Steve was placed in a small orphanage just 48 kilometers away.
During this time, police struggled to locate his family. The wrong identity details hindered the investigation. Mark endured extreme anxiety and despair. He even spent nearly 18 months driving across the island searching for them.
Adoption and a New Life
After three years in the orphanage, a couple from New Jersey adopted Steve and gave him the name he now uses. He left his original identity behind and entered a loving, stable home.
Decades later, he unexpectedly discovered his true family, creating what he calls “a happy ending.” Despite the complex past, he remains grateful for his adoptive parents’ love and support.
Public Reactions
After his story was reported, many people celebrated his reunion. Others criticized his biological mother’s actions.
Comments online included:
“This is revolting. She didn’t want the child but refused to let the father raise him. Should we thank her for not killing him?”
Relatives revealed that his biological parents had a tense relationship. His mother frequently disappeared for days. Steve holds no anger toward her, understanding that she may have had her own struggles.
“I don’t blame her. If your mental state is fragile, sometimes survival comes first,” Steve said.
Yet, he still hopes to know what truly happened during the three weeks before his father reported him missing. With his mother’s disappearance, that will likely remain a secret forever.
