Man's daughter finds him on Facebook 20 years after adoption

ARMONA, Calif. -- A dad in Armona was given a second chance through social media. It helped him reconnect with someone he lost 20 years ago.

Michael Hatton hasn't seen his oldest daughter since she was a baby.

"I always had her on my mind, I always missed her and I always loved her," Hatton said.

The memories of his daughter are vague. He remembers holding her in his arms and naming her Krystin Danielle, the day she was born, which was May 27, 1995 -- the same year she was adopted.

Hatton said, "It was supposed to be temporary but it ended up not working out that way."

Temporary turned into 20 years. Michael was able to find a few pictures of his daughter but that's all he had. That is, until Saturday, when she called from Oklahoma. "I was happy, I had tears in my eyes, I was all happy."

Michael's daughter found him through Facebook. Her name changed to Danielle Cossey and she posted a picture of her biological mother online. People shared it here in the valley and in just two hours, she connected with an uncle, a sister she never knew of and her dad.

Cossey spoke with Action News via skype, "It was a mixed feelings kind of thing, I have waited for this moment for so long, I've always wondered and all I could do is cry, I was just happy."

She moved out of state to be with her brother, who was also adopted. Sadly, he passed away but his death is the reason Danielle started searching for her parents.

Cossey said, "I always wondered about my mom but I never had a way to find them, until I found my brother's birth certificate."

Cossey hasn't been able to reach her mom but she has plans to visit her dad soon.

Hatton said, "Hopefully one day, we can all get together."

Cossey has a son who is almost one. She says even though she lost 20 years, there's still time to make up for it.