NATIONAL NEWS

‘Our worst fears’: Kidnapped baby, parents, uncle found dead

Oct 6, 2022, 5:44 AM | Updated: Oct 12, 2022, 11:13 am

This undated photo provided by Merced County Sheriff's Office shows 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her p...

This undated photo provided by Merced County Sheriff's Office shows 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her parents, Jasleen Kaur, and Jasdeep Singh, and uncle Amandeep Singh, who were kidnapped from a south Merced, Calif., business Monday night, Oct. 3, 2022. Authorities are seeking the public's help in finding the family members and released photos of them. The Merced County Sheriff's Office said the child's mother, father and uncle were taken against their will at gunpoint from a business in the city of Merced, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. (Merced County Sheriff's Office)

(Merced County Sheriff's Office)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A baby girl, her parents and uncle were found dead in a central California orchard two days after they were kidnapped at gunpoint from their business, police said.

“Our worst fears have been confirmed,” Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said at a Wednesday night news conference.

Warnke did not release any information about how and when police believe they were killed. He said the victims were close to each other when found by a farm worker in a remote area.

The grim announcement came after authorities earlier Wednesday released surveillance video of a man kidnapping 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri; her mother Jasleen Kaur, 27; father Jasdeep Singh, 36; and uncle Amandeep Singh, 39, on Monday.

Authorities said they were taken by a convicted robber who tried to kill himself a day after the kidnappings. Jesus Salgado, 48, was in critical condition when taken into custody but has been talking to police, Warnke said.

No motive for the kidnapping has been established, he said.

“There’s no words right now to describe the anger I feel and the senselessness of this incident,” Warnke said. “I said it earlier: There’s a special place in hell for this guy.”

Investigators, including crime lab technicians from the California Department of Justice, would be processing the crime scene through the night, Warnke said.

The four family members were taken from their business in Merced, a city of 86,000 people about 125 miles (200 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco in the San Joaquin Valley, California’s agricultural heartland.

Relatives of Salgado contacted authorities reporting that he had admitted to them he was involved with the kidnapping, Warnke told KFSN-TV on Tuesday. Salgado tried to take his own life before police arrived at a home in nearby Atwater, and he has since been hospitalized.

Efforts to reach Salgado’s family were unsuccessful Wednesday.

The video released earlier Wednesday showed the suspect first walking by the property before talking to one of the men. Later, it shows him leading the men, who had their hands zip-tied behind their backs, into the back seat of Amandeep Singh’s pickup truck. The suspect then went back to the trailer that served as the business office and led Jasdeep Singh, who was carrying her baby in her arms, out and into the truck before the suspect then drove away.

Family members said nothing was stolen from the trucking company but that their relatives were all wearing jewelry. Warnke had said that after the kidnappings, an ATM card belonging to one of the victims was used in Atwater, about 9 miles (14 kilometers) north of Merced.

Warnke said the kidnapper made no ransom demands.

Investigators were trying to discover a motive for the slayings, the sheriff said.

“We have a whole family wiped out and for what? We don’t know yet,” he said.

Relatives of the victims had been notified of the deaths, the sheriff said.

“We’re hoping that they can now at least have some kind of closure,” Warnke said, adding: “It’s not the closure we were hoping for; it’s not the closure they were hoping for.”

Family members had earlier asked anyone who owns a convenience store or gas station in the area to check their surveillance cameras for images of the suspect or those missing. They said they were worried the baby wasn’t being fed because the family didn’t have any baby food with them at the time of the kidnapping.

“Please help us out, come forward, so my family comes home safe,” Sukhdeep Singh, a brother of the victims, said, his voice breaking.

Salgado was previously convicted of first-degree robbery with the use of a firearm in Merced County, as well as attempted false imprisonment and an attempt to prevent or dissuade a victim or witness. He was sentenced to 11 years in state prison in that case, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

He was released from prison in 2015 and discharged from parole three years later. He also has a conviction for possession of a controlled substance, the corrections agency said.

Investigators have not found a link between Salgado and the family to show they knew each other before the kidnapping.

“As of right now, we believe it was random,” Deputy Alexandra Britton said. “We don’t have evidence to prove otherwise.”

Family members had told KXTV-TV that the office for Unison Trucking Inc., the family’s business, had only opened about a week earlier.

“My husband is very peaceful and calm person. We don’t have any clue why they kidnapped them,” said Jaspreet Caur, wife of the kidnapped uncle.

The sheriff said detectives believe the kidnapper destroyed unspecified evidence in an attempt to cover his tracks.

The sheriff’s office said that firefighters on Monday found Amandeep Singh’s truck on fire. Merced Police Department officers went to Amandeep Singh’s home, where a family member tried to reach him and the couple. When they were not able to reach their family members, they called the Merced County Sheriff’s office to report them missing, the office said.

Merced County Undersheriff Corey Gibson said a farmer found a phone belonging to one of the victims on a street in Dos Palos, a town 30 miles (48 kilometers) southwest of Merced, and answered it when the family called it.

___

Dazio reported from Los Angeles. News Researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report.

KSL 5 TV Live

National News

FILE - Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event Monday, March 13, 2023, in Davenpor...

CNN Staff

Trump to appear at CNN town hall in New Hampshire

Former President Donald Trump will participate in a CNN presidential town hall next week in New Hampshire, the network announced Monday.

11 months ago

FILE - President Joe Biden walks along a stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso Texas, Jan. 8...

Colleen Long, Aamer Madhani and Tara Copp

Biden sending 1,500 troops for Mexico border migrant surge

The Biden administration will send 1,500 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border amid an expected migrant surge following the end of coronavirus pandemic-era restrictions.

11 months ago

Authorities said there were at least 6 fatalities in the wrecks. (Photo courtesy: Nathan J. Cormier...

Joe Sutton

Dust storm in Illinois leaves at least 6 dead after more than 70 vehicles crash

At least six people were killed Monday when a dust storm caused more than 70 vehicles to crash along a major highway in central Illinois, officials said.

11 months ago

Serena Williams attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating...

Associated Press

Serena Williams, Karlie Kloss reveal pregnancies at Met Gala

Move over Instagram (or Snapchat) — the Met Gala was the place to announce pregnancies, at least if you’re Serena Williams or Karlie Kloss.

11 months ago

emergency lights generic...

Associated Press

7 bodies found during search for missing Oklahoma teens

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation says the bodies of seven people have been discovered during the search for two missing teenagers.

11 months ago

Larry Woodcock speaks to a crowd of media cameras and microphones...

Larry D. Curtis and Lauren Steinbrecher

Victim’s grandfather says evidence ‘unequivocal’ in Lori Vallow Daybell trial

As Lori Vallow Daybell entered the fifth week of her trial facing charges of first-degree murder, a victim's grandfather, Larry Woodcock, said the documentation in the case is "unequivocal."

11 months ago

Sponsored Articles

Stack of old laptops with dark background...

PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.

Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...

BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.

Close up of an offset printing machine during production...

Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.

vintage photo of lighting showroom featuring chandeliers, lamps, wall lights and mirrors...

Lighting Design

History of Lighting Design | Over 25 Years of Providing Utah With the Latest Trends and Styles

Read about the history of Lighting Design, a family-owned and operated business that paved the way for the lighting industry in Utah.

Fiber Optical cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports...

Brian Huston, CE and Anthony Perkins, BICSI

Why Every Business Needs a Structured Cabling System

A structured cabling system benefits businesses by giving you faster processing speeds and making your network more efficient and reliable.

notebook with password notes highlighted...

PC Laptops

How to Create Strong Passwords You Can Actually Remember

Learn how you can create strong passwords that are actually easy to remember! In a short time you can create new ones in seconds.

‘Our worst fears’: Kidnapped baby, parents, uncle found dead