The ‘sole lead’ within the seek for a kidnapped California household is unconscious after suicide try, sheriff says 

The “sole lead” that investigators have within the seek for a kidnapped central California household is a person who’s unconscious following a suicide try, authorities stated Wednesday.

Jesus Manuel Salgado, who had initially been taken into custody as a “particular person of curiosity,” is now being referred to as a suspect by Merced County Sheriff’s investigators.

Earlier than deputies might get to Salgado, 48, on Tuesday, he tried to die by suicide. He is now in a hospital beneath sedation with detectives prepared to speak to him as quickly as he regains consciousness, officers stated.

“Prayers must be going that by some means this suspect is satisfied to speak to us as a result of that particular person proper now’s our sole lead on the place the individuals are,” Sheriff Vern Warnke advised reporters.

He is beneath “medically induced sedation” as a result of medical doctors want him beneath management with a view to present life-saving care, in response to the sheriff.

“They did not need him thrashing round,” Warnke stated. “I can inform you that each time he is come close to consciousness he is been violent.”

The whereabouts of 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her mother and father, Jasleen Kaur, 27, and Jasdeep Singh, 36, and the child’s uncle, Amandeep Singh, 39, have been nonetheless a thriller on Wednesday, officers stated.

Throughout a half-hour lengthy assembly with reporters on the Merced County Board of Supervisors chambers, the sheriff’s division launched surveillance video displaying the kidnappings unfold.

A person strolling down Freeway 59 in Merced may very well be seen carrying a trash bag and strolling into the household enterprise. However simply earlier than getting into, he drops the bag and appeared to drag out a handgun, video confirmed.

Minutes later, the armed man may very well be seen marching Jasdeep Singh and Amandeep Singh out the again of the enterprise, Unison Trucking, with fingers zip-tied behind their backs at about 9:11 a.m.

They obtained into Amandeep Singh’s black Dodge pickup truck and drove away at 9:13 a.m.

That truck got here again to the household enterprise at 9:19 a.m. earlier than the suspect was seen taking Jasleen Kaur, who was carrying her toddler, out the backdoor, into the truck and driving away.

“From this time on we not see any of the 4 victims on video on the location or the suspect car or the suspect,” Undersheriff Corey Gibson stated.

Salgado’s seize got here after one of many victims’ ATM playing cards was used at a gasoline station in Atwater early Tuesday morning, the sheriff stated.

The ATM is roughly 3 miles from the place the household was kidnapped on Monday.

This can be a creating story. Please examine again for updates.