Girl Abducted From San Jose, Calif., Home by Intruder; Mother and Brother Beaten

AP ^ | Jun 7, 2003 | Anon

[Pharmboy]

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - A 9-year-old girl was abducted from her family's home by an intruder who apparently broke in through a window and hid, then beat the girl's mother and teenage brother before fleeing in his car, police said. The girl's mother and 13-year-old brother told authorities after Friday's abudction that they had never seen the man before, said Katherine Unger, a San Jose police spokeswoman.

"God forbid we don't find this girl tonight," Unger said. "We are so fearful that something bad could happen to her."

The suspect threw the girl, Janette Tamayo, into the back seat of a car that he had previously backed in the family's garage and ensconced behind the closed door, Unger said. It was unclear if he struggled with the mother and brother before or after putting the girl in the car.

After the bleeding and distraught mother called 911 from a neighbor's home at about 4:30 p.m., police fanned out over the South San Jose neighborhood.

Unger said Janette, a fourth-grader with long brown hair streaked with blonde, usually spent afternoons with a baby sitter. It was not clear whether the baby sitter was there when the man broke in; the mother and brother said they were attacked by the suspect after arriving home together, she said.

The California Highway Patrol issued a statewide Amber Alert at 7:30 p.m. alerting motorists to be on the lookout for a tan or silver sedan that witnesses reported seeing fleeing from the area.

The mother was taken to an area hospital for her injuries, which included wounds to her face and "massive head injuries," but her condition was not known, Unger said.

The suspect also attempted to choke the boy with such force he told authorities it felt as if "the guy was trying to break his neck," Unger said.

"It was a pretty brutal fight, I'll tell you that," she said.

Authorities described the suspect as short and in his early 20s. They said he had a deep scratch on his face from his struggle with Janette's mother.

Since the suspect also spoke Spanish, "our natural fear is that he is taking off to Mexico," Unger said.

[Pharmboy]

What a nightmare...close the border and search.

[JesseHousman]

...close the border and search.

Should have done that years ago.

[lilsparky]

Wonder where the babysitter is?

[leadpencil1]

Good thing CA makes it easy for it's residents to arm themselves for protection </sarcasm>

[Pharmboy]

On FoxNews they seemed to imply that the connection may have come from the sitter.

[Labyrinthos]

I hate to criticize the police, but why did they wait three hours from the initial 911 call to put out an Amber Alert?

[Catspaw]

Three hours from the time of the crime until an Amber Alert was issued would be warp speed. They have to do the initial investigation of the crime, question witnesses and evaluate what information and evidence they had before they issue an Amber Alert.

I just pray this little girl is found quickly and safely.

[Paul_B]

Authorities described the suspect as short and in his early 20s. They said he had a deep scratch on his face from his struggle with Janette's mother.

Since the suspect also spoke Spanish, "our natural fear is that he is taking off to Mexico," Unger said.

For crying out loud, if the guy is hispanic, or if he is black or white or whatever, they should say so. Narrowing down the ID possibilities is the one time race should matter. This absurd political correctness is killing us, literally.

[WSGilcrest]

Great Amber alert Screensaver Justpiper posted on another thread a few days ago.

[Im Your Huckleberry]

But it might "offend" someone. And we all know that offending someone who might be a "minority" is far worse than the possible abduction and rape of a nine year old girl.

Don't you know that, silly?

[Labyrinthos]

Three hours from the time of the crime until an Amber Alert was issued would be warp speed.

Ok. I didn't know that. Just seems to me that the first two hours after an abduction are the most crucial. And while I realize they can't put out an Amber Alert every time a kid is late for dinner, in this particular case there were collateral crimes along with the abduction.

[Catspaw]

It sounds like the local cops spread out to find her asap. It took a little while longer (the three hour gap) to issue an Amber Alert.

Given the violence of the attacks on her mother and brother, I am VERY concerned about her welfare.

[Labyrinthos]

Yup, this is definately not a good situation.

[Dog Gone]

I don't think you can place a phone call to 911 if you really have "massive head injuries."

[John Will]

That would not of happend if she was carrying a gun.
We need to find the bastard NOW.

[Catspaw]

Here's the story from the local paper. The mother was bleeding from wounds to the face and upper chest. The mother also wanted to follow the kidnapper's car. I can't even begin to imagine how desparate the mother was.

Posted on Fri, Jun. 06, 2003
Girl, 9, kidnapped from S.J. home VICTIM'S MOM AND BROTHER INJURED; INTRUDER DRIVES OFF By Crystal Carreon, John Woolfolk and Roxanne Stites Mercury News KNTV 11 Jennette Tamayo

A 9-year-old being babysat by her brother Friday afternoon was snatched from her home by a man who apparently had broken in through a window and fought off the family on his way out.

Police said the kidnapper, who wasn't known to the family, dragged Jennette Tamayo out the door of the Southwind Drive home and into the garage, where he had a car waiting. The girl's 12-year-old brother, Pablo, had been choked by the man. The children's mother was bloodied from being hit in the face and upper chest.

Roselia Tamayo ran to her neighbor's house for help.

``She was covered with blood,'' said Corrie Monzon. ``She was hysterical. All she told me was `Amiga, amiga, please call 911! Someone broke in the house! He got Jennette! He got Jennette! Please help!' ''

San Jose police and paramedics soon arrived, and officers searched the area and asked authorities in neighboring counties to look out for the kidnapper and victim. But they hadn't found them by late Friday. Information about the kidnapping couldn't be posted on highway signs -- in an Amber Alert -- because police didn't have the abductor's license plate number.

San Jose police said the girl's mother arrived home about 4:30 p.m., parked in the driveway and walked inside. She saw the stranger, and the two immediately began to grapple. Tamayo was hit in the face and the girl's brother was choked as they fought with the intruder.

``It's extremely bizarre,'' said San Jose police spokeswoman Catherine Unger. Authorities couldn't confirm how long the man was in the house before the mother's arrival, or what he had been doing. ``We don't know if this was an interrupted burglary. We just don't know.''

The man, whose car was backed into the garage for an easy exit, took off with Jennette, maneuvering around Tamayo's car in the driveway and barreling over shrubs and a rose bush. He was driving a newer brown or silver car, and headed toward Monterey Highway.

Friend and next-door neighbor Monzon said she and her husband heard screaming but thought it was children playing outdoors as they often do in the neighborhood. Then Tamayo came to the side of the house, frantically calling for help and bleeding from her mouth and a gash on her forehead.

Monzon said Tamayo wanted to get in a car and follow her daughter's kidnapper. But police arrived in minutes and soon she was on her way to the hospital.

Police said there's no reason to believe the family knew the kidnapper. Police said the mother said she didn't recognize him.

The abductor is described as cleanshaven, in his 20s, 5 feet 2, and wearing a gray beanie or cap and a light, short-sleeve shirt. He has a scratch on his face that was caused during the fight with Tamayo. When confronted during the assault, the intruder spoke Spanish, police said.

The girl is Latina, 4 feet 11 and chubby. She has long black hair with blond streaks, brown eyes and was wearing a green shirt and black pants.

---

Contact Crystal Carreon at ccarreon@sjmercury.com or (408) 920-5460, Roxanne Stites at rstites@mercurynews.com or (408) 271-3780, and John Woolfolk at jwoolfolk@mercury news.com or (408) 278-3410.

[Dog Gone]

This is an extremely unusual story. Predators generally lure the young victims into a situation where they can remove them without risking a confrontation.

Maybe the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping started a new trend.

[evolved_rage]

He's hispanic according to the Amber Alert" but the chicken$hit PC media won't say it.

[Catspaw]

This is even more violent that the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping or Polly Klaas kidnapping and murder. The guy backed his car into the family's garage facing out, had the girl in the car and beat the mother severely and choked her brother--then took off with the child.

I hope they find her, and find her alive.

[ppaul]

Where's Dad?