‘Kidnapped’ Indian-Origin Family, Including 8-Month-Old, Found Dead In California

Bhubaneswar: Four members of an India-origin Sikh family, including an eight-month-old girl, kidnapped at gunpoint from central California business two days ago, were found dead in an orchard there on Wednesday.

Briefing media on Wednesday night, Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said a farm worker in the area found the bodies of eight-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her parents —27-year-old Jasleen Kaur and 36-year-old Jasdeep Singh —, and the baby’s uncle, 39-year-old Amandeep Singh.

While the Department of Justice crime lab is going to probe the crime scene, he added that they “don’t know all the facts yet”, ABC News reported.

Surveillance footage released earlier showed they were forced inside a truck by an armed man. While Jasdeep and Amandeep were seen coming out of the business with their hands tied. The baby and her mother followed the kidnapper to a truck a few seconds later.

Police suspected their kidnapping after they discovered a vehicle owned by one of the family members on fire late on Monday and the accused, 48-year-old Jesus Salgado, was caught after he used their ATM card in Atwater in Merced County. He, according to the cops, tried to take his own life and is currently in critical condition receiving medical attention, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office said.

(With agencies’ input)