Baby Taken from Apartment While Grandma Unloads Groceries: Mom and Baby Reunited After 'Planned' Kidnapping
A San Jose family was desperate to locate their little boy after he was kidnapped on Monday while his grandmother was unloading groceries.
In what police are calling a “planned” kidnapping, a man took 3-month-old Brandon Cuellar from the apartment where his grandmother had placed him while she unloaded groceries. The suspect then put him in a baby carrier he had brought with him, covered the carrier with a blanket and walked away.
The suspect was captured on camera, and police quickly spread the image in hopes of bringing the baby home as quickly as possible.
“Kidnapping Incident,” San Jose Police Media Relations tweeted on Monday evening. “Officers are currently working this incident. The male you see in these images captured from a surveillance camera entered a residence in the 1000 block of Elm St.
“He left with a 3 month old baby. The family does not recognize this suspect.”
On Tuesday morning, the California Highway Patrol released a vehicle description for the potential suspect, according to KRON-TV. The car they described was a 2011 Silver Nissan Quest.
However, a short while later they deleted the tweet with the description, and the San Jose Police Department said they couldn’t elaborate.
“We cannot confirm any information regarding a CHP tweet about a possible suspect vehicle involved in the child abduction case,” they told KRON-TV. “That information would not be for public dissemination.”
On Tuesday, Brandon was found about 5 miles from where he was taken.
“Baby Brandon has been located. He will be taken to a local hospital for an evaluation,” San Jose Police Media Relations tweeted.
There is a lot that is not being shared publicly about the case yet, but what has been shared is that three suspects have been taken into custody.
Suspects responsible for kidnapping baby Brandon.
Click on the press release link for additional info:https://t.co/qFo2uwMphQ
Incredible dedication and work done by Patrol Officers, Investigative Bureas, Spec Ops, Covert Units, and the FBI.
We got them. pic.twitter.com/AJhrcMvTnV
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) April 27, 2022
The names of the suspects and their photos were shared by the police department, and Assistant Chief of Police Paul Joseph told KRON-TV that “there’s some connection to the family” and that “there’s still much more for the detectives to do.”
According to a news release from the police department, one of the suspects had apparently “transported the victim and the victim’s grandmother to run errands” before the incident, and when she was questioned by police, her story kept changing. She and two male suspects were eventually identified and arrested.
The mother and baby were reunited, and she was reportedly very grateful to have him back in her arms.
“This incident is a parent’s worst nightmare, and we are fortunate that we have the best Department in the Nation that helped bring forward a positive outcome,” Chief of Police Anthony Mata said, according to a news release from the SJPD. “This case yet again highlights the dedication and commitment of our women and men who go above and beyond every day to keep our community safe.
“I’d like to also thank our partners at the FBI, as well as the Santa Clara County Search and Rescue team, for providing additional valuable resources.”
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