The FBI is providing a $20,000 reward for info that results in the placement of an American girl who they imagine was kidnapped in Mexico.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Area Workplace stated they imagine 63-year-old Maria del Carmen Lopez was kidnapped from her residence in Pueblo Nuevo, Colima, Mexico, on February 9, 2023.
The FBI described Lopez as a Hispanic feminine with blonde hair and brown eyes, standing 5 ft 2 inches tall and weighing roughly 160 kilos when she was final seen. She can also be distinguished by her everlasting eyeliner.
These with details about Lopez’s whereabouts can contact their native FBI workplace or the closest American Embassy or Consulate.
CBS Los Angeles reported Lopez is a mom of seven youngsters, a number of of whom reside within the southern California space. Her household stated she makes common journeys to go to.
In response to Lopez’s youngsters, considered one of their cousins noticed a gaggle of as many as 5 individuals at her dwelling across the time of her disappearance.
“There was a automobile that drove into the property. There was an change of phrases, they did hear her say she wouldn’t get into the automobile,” Lopez’s daughter Zonia relayed to CBS Los Angeles. “Two people picked her up and one other one got here out of the van. That they had their heads coated and so they coated her mouth and that’s once they took her.”
Lopez’s household doesn’t imagine she has connections to any gang or prison exercise and that her obvious kidnapping was against the law of alternative.
“There was by no means any kind of threats, there was by no means any enemies, something that will point out that she was in any type of hassle,” Zonia instructed CBS Los Angeles.
Colima is a small Mexican state situated located alongside the nation’s central Pacific Coast. Zonia stated her mom’s dwelling was situated in a distant space.
FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller stated the FBI is working with legislation enforcement authorities in Mexico to research Lopez’s disappearance.
NTD Information reached out to the FBI’s Los Angeles Area Workplace for extra info concerning Lopez’s case, however they didn’t reply earlier than this text was printed.
Mexico Journey Warnings
The U.S. State Division supplies a state-by-state journey advisory for Mexico. The advisory breaks the assorted Mexican states into classes from the least-severe Degree 1 steering to “train regular precautions” to the most-severe Degree 4 “Do Not Journey” steering. As of October 5, 2022, Campeche and Yucatan have been the one Mexican states listed within the Degree 1 advisory class, whereas the remaining 30 Mexican states have been listed in greater precautionary classes, principally with warnings associated to crime and kidnappings.
Colima is considered one of six Mexican states underneath a Degree 4 “Do Not Journey” advisory, with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico Metropolis citing issues about excessive crime and kidnapping charges.
“Most homicides [in Colima] are focused assassinations towards members of prison organizations,” the advisory states. “ Taking pictures incidents between prison teams have injured or killed bystanders. U.S. residents and [lawful permanent residents] have been victims of kidnapping.”
4 Individuals have been kidnapped earlier this month after crossing into the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas, one other state underneath a Degree 4 “Do Not Journey” advisory.
Two of the Individuals—recognized as Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown—have been killed. The opposite two Individuals have been recovered alive, although one was injured. Mexican authorities have 5 suspects in custody following the Tamaulipas kidnapping incident and the Scorpions faction of the Gulf cartel has reportedly apologized for the kidnapping and killings.
A pair of sisters from Peñitas, Texas — Maritza Trinidad Perez Rios and Marina Perez Rios — and their good friend Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz have been lacking since they crossed the border into Mexico final month. Mexican authorities are presently investigating their disappearance.
The Related Press contributed to this text.