The suspects allegedly took 3-month-old baby Brandon from his family’s apartment in Northern California while his grandma was unloading groceries from her car on Monday. After conducting an extensive search, the police and the FBI were able to find the baby and apprehend three suspects.
The Suspects Allegedly Snatched the Baby While His Grandmother Was Unloading Groceries From the Car
Brandon Cuellar was allegedly kidnapped from a family home on Elm Street just north of San Jose around 1 p.m. on Monday. The baby’s grandmother was watching him while his mother was working. They took a trip to the grocery store. Once they got back, his grandmother carried the baby into the apartment and went to the car to unload groceries.
The perp used that time to get in and take the baby. Security cameras have captured a man carrying the baby in a carrier. It’s unclear if the baby was already in the carrier or if he had it with him. It is important because it shows if this was a crime of opportunity or if the perp had planned it before. The boy’s family did not recognize the man in the video.
Three People Are in Custody, Motives Unclear Yet
Besides the man on the video, the police have apprehended two more suspects. The police did not reveal their names, but they believe they have some connection to the family. However, they are still working on establishing the motives and the connection. For reference, only 0.11% of missing children cases were the result of stranger abductions in 2020.
The Investigation Was a Joint Effort Between the San Jose Police Department and the FBI
In its Twitter post, the SJPD stated that the operation was a joint effort between the local police department and the FBI. They also had significant help from the community. The authorities conducted door-to-door searches and had multiple hotline numbers for potential tips and clues. It all resulted in the quick recovery of the child and three arrests.