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Police investigate kidnapping of North Dallas mother, teen
Authorities are investigating the kidnapping of a mother and her 16-year-old daughter late Wednesday in far north Dallas.
Dallas police say a man and woman approached the pair as they were leaving Valley View Center, flashed identification and badges and handcuffed them. The suspects told the mother and daughter, who are Hispanic, that they were immigration enforcement officers and that they were taking them to Laredo.
Police say the mother escaped to safety in Austin and the daughter was released in San Antonio.
Authorities have arrested the male suspect, and police have been searching this afternoon for the female suspect, who authorities believe may have returned to the Dallas area.
The ordeal began shortly after 10 p.m. as the mother and daughter were leaving the mall at Interstate 635 and Preston Road.
Police say the mother was either was pushed out or escaped from the suspects’ vehicle in Austin and then called police.
Soon afterward, the suspects split up. The male suspect released the 16-year-old girl shortly thereafter. A few hours later, the man was stopped south of Austin, thanks to a description of his vehicle given by the mother.
Austin police believe the kidnappers may have been motivated by a previous incident in which the daughter was a victim of a violent crime.
“Right now we believe it has something to do with the fact that the juvenile is a victim in a separate, unrelated case that happened there in Dallas,” said Cpl. Scott Perry, a spokesman for Austin police. “That case is an ongoing case and this was some sort of retaliation for that case.”
Austin police are still questioning the man they arrested, and have not released his identity.
