An American who was kidnapped in Mexico is heading home after spending over eight months in captivity.
Monica de Leon Barba is on her way back the the US after being kidnapped off the street while walking her dog, Asa, in Tepatitlán, Mexico, authorities said.
Barba, 30, is ‘safe and en route to the United States, where she will be reuntied with her family and dog,’ the FBI said in a press release on Saturday.
‘No arrests have been made, and an investigation into the identity of her captors remains ongoing,’ the federal agency said.
‘The FBI investigation is far from over, but we can now work this case knowing an innocent victim is reunited with her family,’ Special Agent-in-charge Robert Tripp said.
Barba, who was originally from San Mateo, California, was kidnapped on November 29, 2022,
The FBI later released security camera footage showing the moment Barba was captured.
In the footage, she can be seen walking Asa before being forced into a Volkswagen Jetta on the side of the road.
Videos then show her dog wandering the nearby streets off-leash. Luckily, he was quickly recovered by a family member and returned home.
Investigators believe at least three cars were used in the kidnapping, and identified five individuals involved in the crime.
Meanwhile, Barba was reunited with her family and Asa back in San Mateo on Saturday.
The US Embassy has issued travel advisories for multiple regions of Mexico, including Jalisco, where Barba was kidnapped.
‘Violent crime and gang activity are common in parts of Jalisco state,’ the embassy said. ‘ Shooting incidents between criminal groups have injured or killed innocent bystanders. US citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping.’
Multiple Americans have been kidnapped in Mexico this year, including four innocent tourists who visited Matamoros for plastic surgery.
Only two of the US citizens survived the deadly encounter.
Mexico’s Gulf Cartel eventually took responsibility for the incident, which they said was a case of mistaken identity, and handed over the perpetrators.
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