2 kidnapped children rescued in Fresno as good Samaritans stop suspect, police say
Two kidnapped toddlers were reunited safely with their family Wednesday after good Samaritans helped apprehend the suspect in a Fresno neighborhood.
Fresno police Sgt. Diana Trueba Vega said the incident unfolded around 11 a.m. near Harrison and Michigan avenues in Fresno.
Trueba Vega said a mother had returned home from shopping and was inside unloading groceries while her kids — aged 1 and 3 — remained in the car, which was running.
The mother saw the suspect drive off in her vehicle with her children inside, police said. She chased the vehicle while screaming for help.
Four community members nearby heard the mother and intervened by following the suspect. They stopped the car a few blocks north near Harrison and Shields by boxing the vehicle in, confronting the suspect and ultimately pinning him down.
Marycela Pacheco was nearby and said she immediately sprang into action when she learned of the situation. Other good Samaritans followed suit.
“You got to do what you got to do to take care of business. And there were babies involved, so that intensifies the rush, if you will,” said Gerald Garcia, a community member who helped rescue the kidnapped kids.
Trueba Vega said it’s too early to tell whether the suspect knew the kids were inside the vehicle. He’s facing charges including kidnapping, possession of a stolen vehicle and violation of probation.
“We are very thankful for the intervention of community members,” Trueba Vega said. “They could’ve just called 911, but they decided to take matters into their own hands and jump in and save the children.”
