A man has come forward claiming he is the seven-month-old baby who was kidnapped from his crib 32 years ago.

Relatives of Christopher Abeyta, who was taken from his Colorado Springs home, say their hopes have been raised by the man's claims - particularly as he has a photo of himself as a toddler that backs up his case.

It's also believed the anonymous man's story of growing could help convince the family he's the missing person.

Investigators have put out various impressions of what he could look like now.

However, real photographs over various years are a better indication and the new finding could finally help crack the case.

A man claims to be Christopher Abeyta, the seven-month-old baby (right) who went missing 32 years ago (left, is an artist's impression of what he could look like as a man)

The family have never given up the continuous searching for Christopher over the years and a dedicated Facebook page shared what he may have looked like age 27 (right)

It has given the family a glimmer of hope but the image has not been shared with the public as yet.

The family haven't shared what details about the man's upbringing have made them believe he could be Christopher.

Colorado Bureau of Investigation says it could take 'some time' to come back with the man's DNA results to put an end to speculation.

While Abeyta's sister Denise Alvez admits the image was good enough to 'make someone take a second look at it,' Colorado Springs law enforcement aren't as convinced according to The Colorado Springs Gazette.

The publication reports while they're still investigating the claim, they think it will have a negative ending.

For decades the Abeytas have been following tips on where he might be now and many impressions of how he may have appeared at certain stages of his life have been circulated via National Center For Missing & Exploited Children

Family say after Christopher (pictured as a newborn in 1986) was snatched, his late mother Bernice Abeyta was left with a 'hole in her heart'

Christopher was seven months old when he was snatched in the night as his family slept

'Unfortunately at this time it does not appear this will be credible information, however, we are working to confirm,' cold case Commander Jeff Jensen said in a statement Friday.

Law enforcement won't reveal why they're not as hopeful as the family, which had the father and mother take heritage tests to determine their background and possibly help identify any relation between those who come forward.

Christopher's mother Bernice Abeyta passed away aged 73 last year following a battle with gallbladder cancer. She was revealed to have Scandinavian and British roots.

Dad, Gil Abeyta, Gil is 32 percent Native American and 55 percent European according to the DNA test results.

The family have been convinced they'd found Christopher three times in the past.

They resorted to not telling their mother when they had a lead to avoid disappointment.

Christopher's sisters Linnea Abeyta (left) and Denise Alvez (right) pictured at the Colorado State Capitol Senate Chambers, the reading of the Colorado Missing Person's Resolution in February

Christopher's mother and father alongside his sisters ran a Facebook page to help the search

Alvez was just 15 years old when her brother was taken away on July 15 1986. She was asleep in the room next to him when he was kidnapped from his crib.

Bernice and Gil woke to found no trace of their son and they searched the house before calling police at 6.30am.

Detectives said there were no signs of forced entry at the address but the front door was unlocked and a window had been left open.

'This individual believes that he's Christopher,' Alvez said, describing waiting as a 'rollercoaster of emotions'.

'You want it so bad. It doesn't stop. Regardless of the outcome, if it doesn't turn out to be him, we'll keep seeking answers,' she added.

Before she died Christopher's mother traveled the country to follow tips on what happened to her son.

A Facebook page dedicated to the missing case revealed Bernice was left with 'a hole in her heart' after all the efforts to find her son.

It's also believed the person who took baby Christopher was seeking personal revenge from the family and it's thought to be a woman.

The family believes a woman snatched him and it was part of a personal revenge mission

'Your brain is telling you not to but your heart is saying this might be it,' Christopher's sister Linnea Abeyta told KKTV about having hope for the return of her brother.

There's a $100,000 reward for anyone who can help find a suspect which leads to an arrest in this case.

'We just want some peace or some closure,' Alvez added.

The family continues to appeal on Facebook with an August 29 post reading: 'Maybe you were fearful of retribution from the kidnapper. You aren't alone. No one can blame you. Or, maybe you tried to talk with the authorities before and they made you uneasy in some way. You can come forward now and tell us what you know without concern.'

Anonymous tips can go via Crime Stoppers on 719-634-6876.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is reachable on 1-800-the-lost.

Alternatively submit a tip to www.findchristopher.com or Christopher's Facebook page.