AUBURN, Wash. (KING) – Police say a 21-year-old pregnant woman who was kidnapped at gunpoint from her apartment in Washington state has been found alive in Mexico.
Jackelin Perez, who is six weeks pregnant, went missing from the Auburn apartment she shares with her husband on the evening of Oct. 13. Police got the news that she was found alive Wednesday.
“It was shocking. It was a surprise to all of us and really just thrilled,” said Kolby Crossley, a public information officer for the Auburn Police Department.
Police say Mexican authorities found Perez in the past few days. She confirmed to officers that she was kidnapped from her apartment at gunpoint.
Police say Perez’s kidnappers brought her to Mexico, where they released her. It’s not clear why they chose to release her there.
Perez, who is originally from Guatemala, had only lived in Auburn for four months. She is now back in her native country and plans to stay there.
Police believe illegal activity led to Perez’s kidnapping and multiple suspects were involved.
“We believe there was some sort of illegal activity happening that led to this that she was not involved in, so she just was kind of caught up in it,” Crossley said.
One of the suspects, a 24-year-old man, was tracked to Texas, where he was arrested last Saturday. He will be extradited back to Washington.
Police add Perez’s husband arrived home about 20 minutes after her kidnapping but didn’t call police until the next morning. They haven’t ruled out the possibility he was one of those involved as they continue the investigation.
“There is a lot to still go over. But the great news is that she was found and that she is safe,” Crossley said.
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