AP reported on September 22, the authorities had rescue a 17 year old boy in Southern California (USA), after he was kidnapped and held hostage for 4 days. The kidnappers threatened to harm this teenager if his family did not pay a ransom of 500,000 USD (about 12.2 billion VND).
It is known that the target group planned perfectly to Kidnapping a 17 year old teenager. According to the Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, on the morning of September 18, these people staged a car collision in San Bernardino County (California) and kidnapped the teenager when he got out of the car to check the damage. The entire kidnapping incident was recorded by a camera mounted on the doorbell.
Federal prosecutors informed that the kidnapping group then called the victim’s mother using a phone number in Mexico and asked to transfer $500,000 in ransom to Nogales (Sonora state, Mexico). The teenager’s family continuously received calls from the kidnapping group for 4 days.
The teenager was kidnapped by a group of people when he got out to check the car after the collision. Illustration photo: telegraphindia.com
In addition, the suspects also recorded a video showing the 17-year-old boy being forced to read a manuscript and send it to his mother. The content of this manuscript states that the cause of the kidnapping was because the teenager’s father was at fault in an incident that allegedly occurred in New York (USA). Also according to the content of the manuscript, the father knew what he had stolen.
“Few things can make a parent more frightened than having their child kidnapped and held for ransom, with threats of physical harm,” attorney Martin Estrada shared in a statement.
Knowing the information about the kidnapping, the authorities launched an investigation. Based on the clues, they tracked down and followed the kidnapping group to a motel in Santa Maria – a city about 225km northwest of downtown Los Angeles, and then rescued the 17-year-old boy.
At the time of discovery, 17 year old teenager lying on the floor in a corner of the room. Authorities confiscated at least one gun at the scene. According to information from the authorities, the teenager’s family did not pay ransom to the kidnapping group.
The kidnapping group, including three young men in their 20s, were charged with kidnapping and could face life in prison if convicted.