Oct. 5 (UPI) — Authorities in California’s Central Valley said they are searching for a man accused of kidnapping four people, including an 8-month-old infant and her two parents.
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Monday that Aroohi Dheri, her 27-year-old mother, Jasleen Kaur, and her 36-year-old father, Jasdeep Singh, were “taken against their will” from a business in the 800 block of South Highway 59 in South Merced along with her 39-year-old uncle, Amandeep Singh.
“We have a lowlife out there that kidnapped an 8-month-old baby, her mom, her dad and her uncle,” Sheriff Vern Warnke said in a video statement.
Warnke added that a motive for the kidnapping was not immediately known.
“We just know that they are gone,” he said.
The sheriff’s office released pictures of a suspect Monday night while asking for the public’s help to identify him.
Authorities described the suspect as a light-skinned man with a shaved head who was last seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
“We consider the suspect to be armed and dangerous,” the sheriff’s office said. “If you see this person, please call 911 and do not approach him or the victims.”
Warnke added that those behind the kidnapping have not made contact with anyone nor have they made any ransom demands.
“We need your help,” he said, stating that it is “imperative” that they get new information about the case.
They do have evidence, he said, that indicates “the individuals involved in this destroyed evidence in an attempt to cover up their tracks.”
Police are canvassing in search of the victims and aircraft have been deployed to look for evidence of the family, he said.
“People are going to be working 24 hours on this until we get a break in this,” he said. “We’re asking for your help. We need your help and we’ve got to bring this family back safely.”
