en route back to the Bay Area
(KRON) — A San Mateo woman who was kidnapped in Mexico last year has been found and will soon be reunited with her Bay Area family, the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed to KRON4.
Monica De Leon Barba is safe and currently en route back to the United States, the FBI said. De Leon Barba was kidnapped while out walking her dog on Nov. 29, 2022 in Tepatitlán, Jalisco, Mexico.
Authorities said De Leon Barba was held in captivity until Friday, when she was released. No arrests have been made in connection to her kidnapping.
(Photos courtesy of find Monica De Leon Facebook page)
The FBI shared video of her kidnapping to the public in April to help find her. In the video, De Leon Barba can be seen walking along the road with her dog. She was then forced into a vehicle by several suspects.
In a second clip, three cars were highlighted which were used in the kidnapping, the FBI said. The descriptions of five suspects were released as well. De Leon Barba’s dog was later seen running loose in the street, before it was found by a family member.
“For the past eight months, FBI personnel in California and Mexico have worked tirelessly with the family and with partners here and in Mexico,” said Special Agent In Charge Robert Tripp of the FBI San Francisco Field Office. “Our relief and joy at the safe return of Monica and Gael is profound. The FBI investigation is far from over, but we can now work this case knowing an innocent victim is reunited with her family. On behalf of the FBI, I want to extend my sincere thanks to our law enforcement partners, to the family, and to the San Mateo community for their continued engagement and advocacy. They never forgot Monica, and neither did we.”
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Source: KRON4
