Monica De Leon Barba, the San Mateo woman who was kidnapped in Mexico last November, has been released by her captors and is on her way home to be reunited with her family, the FBI announced Saturday.
De Leon Barba was released Friday after spending eight months in captivity, the FBI said. She was abducted on Nov. 29 in Tepatitlán, a city in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, while walking home from work with her dog, the bureau said.
Her brother, Gustavo De Leon Jr., also shared news of her release, by posting a photo of the two together in what appeared to be an airplane.
“Hello everyone, for the first time in a very long time we have good news!” Gustavo De Leon wrote on Facebook. “I need to thank every single person that helped my family and I through this entire ordeal. We can all finally close this chapter in our lives and work on the long road of healing we have ahead.”
No arrests have been made, and an investigation into the identity of her captors remains ongoing, the FBI said.
“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 is profound.”
In March the FBI announced a reward of up to $40,000 for information leading to her safe recovery. At the time, Gustavo De Leon wrote, “It has been four torturous months since my sisters’ kidnapping, although great efforts have been made every day to bring her home, today we find ourselves far from that goal. I can’t help but think of the absolute fear and agony she has faced for the last 121 days … ”
Earlier this month, Gustavo De Leon marked her birthday by writing, “It is devastating not to be able to hug her and celebrate with her. All because a group of cowards decided to rob her of her freedom.” He also said the family would not give up hope that she was still alive and that they would see her again. He said he had bought her a birthday present that he would keep safe with her Christmas present, “for her to open when she does come home.”
Tripp said the FBI wanted to thank the U.S. State Department and investigators from the Department of Homeland Security for assisting with the investigation, as well as De Leon Barba’s family and the San Mateo community for “their continued engagement and advocacy.” He said, “They never forgot Monica, and neither did we.”
Source: www.mercurynews.com