In Southern California, a man and a woman have been detained for reportedly kidnapping four members of the female suspect’s family, including her own mother, her infant son, and her sister who is 14 years old, during a violent home invasion, according to police.
According to the Westminster Police Department, the two other kidnapped adults were able to escape from their captors and dial 911 before police arrived and discovered the newborn and the teenager unhurt inside a hotel room in Costa Mesa early on Thursday.
Couple Accused Of Kidnapping
The suspects, Michael Rodriguez, 26, and Bich Dao Vo, 30, also known as Michelle Rodriguez, were apprehended during a traffic stop on Thursday and are currently being held on charges of kidnapping, robbery, assault with a firearm, false imprisonment, endangering a child, and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to The Orange County Register, authorities have learned that Dao Vo is the victim’s adult daughter, the baby’s mother, and the older sister of the teenage girl.
Rodriguez and Dao Vo, according to Westminster police, entered the family’s home in the 14300 block of Pine Street while brandishing a weapon and demanding $60,000 in cash. When no money was discovered, Rodriguez allegedly pistol-whipped both Dao Vo’s mother and her son-in-law.
At the Costa Mesa hotel, the suspects allegedly threatened to kill the two adults and two children if they didn’t give them money and forced them into a U-Haul cargo van under the threat of force, according to Westminster police.
After successfully leaving the two kids in the hotel room, the adults went back to their house and dialed 911. According to police, they were both found by officers with gushing head wounds.
Charges
Cops were able to free the kids from the hotel, and after the suspects were taken into jail, they discovered a loaded.40-caliber handgun and an AK-47-style weapon inside the cargo van.
A $1 million bail was set for Rodriguez’s detention. Bail was set at $100,000 for Dao Vo. Later this week, both must appear in court.