Baby among 4 family members kidnapped in Merced County; Suspect photos released
MERCED, Merced County — Sheriff's officials in Merced County have released photos of a possible suspect in the kidnapping of four members of a family, including an 8-month-old child.
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 on Monday.
Sheriff Vern Warnke said the kidnapper has made no ransom demands or contact of any kind.
"We have no motivation behind it. We just know that they are gone," Warnke said in a briefing posted on the department's Facebook page.
Deputies are searching Merced and surrounding areas for the baby, Aroohi Dheri; the child's mother, Jasleen Kaur, 27; father Jasdeep Singh, 36; and uncle Amandeep Singh, 39.
The sheriff's department released two still images from surveillance footage of a possible suspect and asked for the public's help in identifying the man. He's seen wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, dark shorts and a light blue disposable face mask.
"He is described as a light-complexed male with a shaved head," the sheriff wrote in the post. "He was last seen wearing a hoodie. We consider the suspect to be armed and dangerous. If you see this person, please call 9.1.1. and do not approach him or the victims."
The sheriff said detectives believe the suspect destroyed unspecified evidence in an attempt to cover his tracks.
