The case was closed several years ago after a serial killer confessed, but her body has never been found. ABC7 News spoke with Amber's mom Tuesday night and she is elated the case has been reopened.
There were hugs of support for Kim Swartz. She told us, "Excited. I'm totally excited. I feel like maybe my days of running into brick walls is over with."
Back in 1988, Amber was 7 years old when she was abducted as she jumped rope in front of her home.
The FBI focused on Curtis Dean Anderson who was already serving time for the murder of another girl, Xiana Fairchild. In prison Anderson confessed to kidnapping Amber and leaving her body in Arizona, although it has never been found. Anderson died a month after making that statement.
The case was closed in 2009 and to this day the Pinole Police Chief John Hardester says there is no evidence to challenge Anderson's confession. So why the sudden interest?
"We want to make absolutely certain that we take advantage of the advanced forensic science that we now have," said Hardester.
There was also a petition asking the police and the FBI to revisit the case. That was started by Lea Deuel who provided daycare for Amber.
She told us, "Couldn't be any better than that. We got it opened. Now let's see what happens."
Kim thinks Anderson's confession to the FBI was a lie to get off death row. She occasionally drives by the house where it happened 25 years ago, but now that the case has been reopened, as strange as it sounds, she considers herself the happiest mother of a missing child.
