All articles tagged with #kidnapping
A Martinez-area mother was swindled out of $5,400 after scammers used artificial intelligence to mimic her daughter's voice and direct hours of urgent actions in a fake kidnapping plot; experts warn AI-based voice cloning is driving a growing wave of scams, urging verification through trusted channels, avoiding unknown numbers and using family code words, while police investigate and recovery seems unlikely.
Gunmen abducted more than 50 children, many aged two to five, from three schools in Mussa, Borno state, taking them on motorcycles and reportedly using some as human shields; no group has claimed responsibility, but the attack echoes Boko Haram/ISWAP activity as security forces pursue the suspects and locals flee the area.
As Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping case nears the 100-day mark, investigators say forensic and digital analyses are ongoing. While speculation has floated a possible motive involving Savannah Guthrie, authorities have not confirmed any link or suspects and continue to review evidence and messages from the kidnappers.
An FBI profiler claims Nancy Guthrie was taken alive, based on porch blood spatter, as Savannah Guthrie publicly pleads for information on Mother’s Day and vows the family will never stop searching; no suspect has been identified and the reward exceeds $1 million.
A U.S. indictment accuses Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya of allowing cartel influence to gain power, ties him to Los Chapitos led by El Chapo’s sons, and recounts a high-profile kidnapping of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada as part of cartel power plays, signaling ongoing cross-border corruption probes and potential further charges against Mexican officials.
In Perinton, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office says Amar Saleh kidnapped his mother and two younger siblings, but he claims it was a rescue. Three others—Omar Saleh, Gamil Ahmed and Dajour Paul—have been charged, a car linked to the case was recovered, and an Amber Alert was issued and later lifted as deputies say the victims are safe. Investigators are reviewing CPS removal records, with the sheriff's office saying no new information can be shared at this time.
In Perinton, N.Y., a mother and her two children were abducted Saturday afternoon. An AMBER Alert and a county-wide BOLO were issued; the family was found safe in Rochester that night. Three suspects—Gamil S. Ahmed, 31; Omar Saleh, 30; and Dajour L. Paul, 26—were arrested and charged with kidnapping and await arraignment, while a fourth suspect, Amar Saleh, remains at large as the investigation continues.
Three months after Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson home, investigators have not produced credible leads and ransom notes (cryptocurrency) were deemed fake. A doorbell cam image and scene evidence guide ongoing investigations, while NewsNation’s upcoming special revisits the case with expert profiles. In a Parade-exclusive teaser, forensic expert Dr. Ann Burgess raises a controversial theory that the abductor could have been eliminated by a “boss” to cover tracks, though police have found no supporting evidence. The case remains unresolved as authorities pursue leads and await the TV special airing May 6.
Gunmen abducted 23 pupils from an orphanage in Nigeria; 15 were rescued, with authorities continuing efforts to locate the remaining children.
Gunmen raided an unregistered orphanage in Kogi State, Nigeria, abducting 23 children; 15 were rescued after a rapid security response, while 8 remain missing and the orphanage owner was also abducted. No group has claimed responsibility, but authorities cite possible Boko Haram links and note a broader kidnapping crisis in the country. The government reiterates its commitment to rescuing victims and advises strong oversight of such facilities, as the facility reportedly operated illegally amid a volatile security climate.
Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped in Utah in 2002 and later rescued, revealed she has begun competing in bodybuilding shows, posting a bikini photo from the Wasatch Warrior event in Salt Lake City. She says she delayed sharing the hobby, fearing judgment and questioning her credibility as a survivor advocate, and notes she has already competed in four shows while continuing her child-safety advocacy.
A 16-year-old girl was abducted at gunpoint near her Hamtramck, Michigan school and taken to a Sunoco, where clerk Abdulrahman Abohatem stepped from behind the counter after she mouthed 'help,' shielding her and guiding the man out. Police later arrested Donald Fields, a 48-year-old registered sex offender, on charges including kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct, illicit possession of a gun, felonious assault and habitual offender status. The teen was safely recovered and authorities praised the quick thinking of the clerk and students involved.
An Omaha woman was shot dead by police after she slashed a young boy with a knife at a Walmart during an attempted kidnapping; the child was hospitalized with facial injuries but is expected to survive, and investigators are reviewing store surveillance to determine motive.
Omaha police shot and killed a woman outside a Walmart after she allegedly held a young boy at knifepoint, took him from a female shopper inside the store, and slashed him across the face; the boy was hospitalized with a serious facial injury but is expected to survive. Investigators are reviewing store video and police body camera footage as they determine motive and identity of the suspect, who died at the scene.
A woman outside an Omaha Walmart fatally threatened a 3-year-old with a knife during an alleged kidnapping attempt. Police ordered her to drop the weapon and fired after she swiped at the child; the suspect died at the scene, the child was hospitalized with a facial wound but expected to recover, and no officers were injured. The suspect’s identity was not released, and officials cited possible shoplifting of the knife.