Monica de Leon Barba: Video shows moment missing California woman was kidnapped in Mexico while walking her dog
SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA: The FBI has released the kidnapping video of Californian Monica de Leon Barba, who was abducted in Mexico in 2022 while she walked her dog. FBI claimed that de Leon Barba, 29, of San Mateo, was last seen getting into a van while she was walking home from work on November 29, 2022 in Tepatitlan, Jalisco close to Guadalajara.
The federal government believes de Leon Barba is still alive and is being held captive by her assailants. In a statement released by the FBI on Thursday, April 13, Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp stated, "The FBI is requesting the public's assistance in locating Monica and returning her safely to her family. We believe these videos may have generated new public tips to assist in our investigation." Tripp claimed that the FBI "believes this was a targeted kidnapping," according to New York Post.
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What was observed in the FBI-released video?
The first video shows de Leon Barba strolling with her dog as three of the cars involved in her kidnapping—a silver Volkswagen Jetta, a gray Dodge Charger, and a white Chevrolet Suburban—slowly pass by.
The kidnapping is depicted in the second video. Several suspects can be seen approaching de Leon Barba after coming out their vehicles. The suspects then push her into the Jetta before driving off in the three vehicles, as shown in the video.
'That's terrible'
Many have reacted to the video on Twitter with one person writing, "Another foreign conflict due to the rampage of insecurity in our country." Another person writing, "That's terrible." A third person wrote, "If you go to the terrorist state of Mexico, you get what you get." One curious person wrote, "The Suburban nearly came to a stop when driving by the box truck in which a man appears to be sitting in the driver's seat. Is the man in the box truck a possible witness? Has he been ID'd and questioned?"
Otro conflicto exterior por el desmadre de inseguridad en nuestro país.
— Cris (@CR_Mendivil) April 13, 2023
If you go to the terrorist state of Mexico, you get what you get.
— Paul Barron (@PaulBar0875964) April 13, 2023
The Suburban nearly came to a stop when driving by the box truck in which a man appears to be sitting in the driver's seat. Is the man in the box truck a possible witness? Has he been ID'd and questioned?
— Laurie W 🇺🇸🌻 (@LaurieW_Resist) April 13, 2023
'We believe she is still being held hostage'
Tripp stated, "We believe she is still being held hostage. The hostage takers have been in contact with her family and the FBI is working very closely with her family and with authorities in Mexico to bring her home safely," according to New York Post.
A $40,000 reward is being offered by the FBI for information regarding de Leon Barba's whereabouts. She was last seen with black bottoms and a black t-shirt on. She reportedly has short black hair with blonde highlights and is about 5 feet 5 inches tall.
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