HOUSTON – A man arrested in Houston has been linked to the kidnapping of a pregnant woman in Washington state.
Jackelin Perez, 21, was discovered alive in Mexico on Wednesday. Police say she was kidnapped at gunpoint from her apartment in Auburn, Washington, on Sunday, October 13.
Investigators said she had recently come to Washington from Guatemala with her husband and was around six weeks pregnant.
According to investigators, multiple people are under investigation in connection with the case, including Perez’s husband. According to investigators, Perez’s husband returned home approximately 20 minutes after his wife was taken, but he did not call police until the next morning.
“He did not call us until Monday morning. “She was taken on Sunday, the 13th, between 6 and 7 p.m., and he didn’t call us until about 7 a.m. or so the next morning,” Auburn Police Department spokesperson Kolby Crossley explained.
According to authorities, Perez was transferred to Mexico before being released. It is unclear why the kidnappers abandoned her there.
“There is still a lot to go over,” Crossley remarked. “But the good news is, the great news is, is that she was found and that she is safe.”
The 24-year-old suspect captured in Houston will be extradited to Washington. Police suspect there are more people involved, and additional charges may be filed.
“We believe the kidnapping was related to illegal activity in which she was not involved,” the Auburn Police Department stated on social media.
Reference:
Woman kidnapped in Washington found in Mexico; man in Houston arrested