SAN JOSE (CBS SF) — Kidnapped three-month-old Brandon Alexis Cuellar was located by San Jose police early Tuesday and three suspects were in custody who police said were somehow connected to the child’s family.
Those arrested include a masked man seen on surveillance video with a baby carrier and a woman who had been detained hours before as a “person of interest” in the case.
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San Jose Assistant Police Chief Paul Joseph said investigators believe they have the male suspect seen on a surveillance video in custody.
“We know there is some connection to the family, but we don’t know exactly what that connection is,” he said. “That will be determined during the course of the investigation.”
Joseph said the “baby was in good condition, being checked out at a local hospital, but unharmed.”
At a 9 a.m. news conference, San Jose police spokesman Sgt. Christian Camarillo said the woman was with the abducted child’s grandmother before the infant was taken.
“This was a person who was with the grandmother yesterday when they went shopping, she was present at the apartment complex when this happened,” he told reporters. “There have been some inconsistencies with what she has told us. Obviously, drawing our attention to what she knows about this.”
Raw Video: San Jose police press conference on kidnapped baby found
Camarillo did not disclose what, if any, relationship the woman may have had to the man seen leaving the complex with the child in a baby carrier. He said the suspect brought the carrier with him, calling the abduction “something planned, premeditated.”
He also could not confirm if the abduction was related to a family dispute.
Meanwhile, an FBI forensic team swarmed over a San Jose apartment complex and the surrounding neighborhood early Tuesday, searching for any clues in the abduction.
The CHP tweeted out a photo and description of a possible suspect vehicle, but within an hour Camarillo asked for it to be taken down saying “it will compromise” their investigation.
“Our agency will provide the most accurate timely information,” SJPD tweeted. “We are actively working leads. We know there is a need for information, but we also need to maintain the integrity of this investigation. The number one unwavering goal is to get baby Brandon home.”
The CHP deleted their tweet.
San Jose police said they received the call about the kidnapping from a residence on the 1000 block of Elm Street at around 1 p.m. Monday.
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Investigators tweeted out images and video of a male suspect seen entering the residence in surveillance video and leaving with the baby in what appeared to be a carrier covered with a blanket.
** Kidnapping Incident**
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. pic.twitter.com/BJ0R44JOP2
— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) April 26, 2022
The family did not recognize the suspect described as a “dark” Hispanic male wearing black pants, a dark blue shirt, grey shoes with white trim, a grey baseball hat, and a black face mask. The suspect also has short hair.
The baby carrier is black in color with a white blanket. The baby, Alexis Cuellar, was wearing a white long sleeve onesie with grey dinosaurs on it.
According to investigators, the baby was being watched by his grandmother while his mother was at work. The grandmother had taken the baby into an apartment after shopping for groceries. After going back to her car to retrieve more groceries, she returned moments later and the baby was gone.
The baby’s father is currently incarcerated, but investigators said they didn’t know if the father being incarcerated played into the kidnapping. They would be speaking to him soon.
“Right now, we have every available resource not only out in the field but here at the police department working this case,” said SJPD Sgt. Christian Camarillo during the press briefing.
“She took the baby in the apartment, went downstairs to unload some groceries, in that short about of time, someone entered the apartment, you guys have the images and the video of this person, and left with the baby,” Camarillo said.
Later on Monday, the FBI began providing resources and sent agents from its Child Abduction Response Team to the scene. They meticulously searched the apartment building for clues.
A cash reward was being offered for any information leading to the safe recovery of the baby and the arrest of the suspect.
Authorities were asking for anyone who lives in the area of Elm Street where the baby was taken to check their surveillance cameras for video around 1 p.m. that might have captured the suspect.
Police have set up the following hotlines to call with any information on the case with officers standing by:
- 408-537-1142
- 408-537-1916
- 408-537-1282
- 408-537-1522
- 408-537-9066
In the meantime, parents in the neighborhood are holding their children a bit tighter.
“I have two kids, and I feel bad about the mother. I need to pay more attention to my kids they like to play outside and run outside,” said one neighbor.
“As a mother, I can say like wow I don’t know how they feel, how the family feel, I can’t imagine,” said Laura Torres.
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“My big daughter every day play over there, so now my big daughter very scared, so she stay in the home,” said Jasvir Rai who lives in the area.
Source: sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com.