California Father says Picture is that of his daughter and not Tionda Bradley

The FBI Saturday night is investigating a California couple who claim that a mysterious picture on the Internet is actually their daughter, not missing Chicago girl Tionda Bradley.

And if they are right, a local private detective says, the case highlights the dangers of the Internet.

"It stops the money, resources and manpower from going after a false lead," said private detective James Miller.

Earlier this week, a Houston forensic artist sparked controversy saying, she was certain a mysterious Internet picture is Tionda Bradley, a South Side girl that disappeared from her home in 2001 with her younger sister.

In a phone interview from Chula Vista, Calif., Jeff Smith told CBS 2 the girl in the Internet picture is the same one in this picture – his daughter.

And he was sorry if the picture raised the hopes of the Bradley family.

"I hate to have a family suffer like this, it is very disheartening," Smith said. "It's a very cruel thing to do someone missing a child."

"It gave the family false hope, but it did bring national awareness to the case," Miller said.

Sources tell CBS 2, on Monday, California FBI agents will be checking birth certificates, school records and perhaps DNA to verify the identity of the mysterious girl.

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