Emmanuel was born at his grandmother's Dallas, Texas home, but spent seven days at Parkland Memorial Hospital after birth. He was released from the hospital on August 11, 1989 and went to live with with his grandmother, Hermane Grady, and mother, Kisha Birts. His abductor, who claimed to be a social worker and called herself Debra Manning, first visited the home on August 12 and several times afterwards. She visited the family on September 12 and claimed there was a possibility Emmanuel was infected with the HIV virus. Manning said she needed to take the baby immediately, and Kisha wanted to come with them, but Manning made an excuse as to why she couldn't. She promised to return by 2:00 p.m., but she never came back. Neither of them has ever been seen again.