The investigation into the kidnapping of a family in Merced County took an ominous turn Tuesday afternoon when law enforcement announced a person of interest is in custody, but that the three adults and baby are still missing.
The person of interest was identified as Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, by the Merced County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office said Salgado attempted to take his own life before investigators made contact with him on Tuesday. He is currently in custody, receiving medical attention and in critical condition.
The family of four — eight-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her parents Jasleen Kaur, 27, Jasdeep Singh, 36, and her uncle Amandeep Singh, 39, were kidnapped at gunpoint from a business on South Highway 59 on Monday.
The discovery of the kidnapping began around 11:30 a.m. Monday when Cal Fire was dispatched to Buhach and Oakdale roads in Winton for a report of a 2020 Dodge Ram truck that had been set on fire. The California Highway Patrol also responded to the scene for the investigation and tried to make contact with the vehicle’s registered owner — Amandeep Singh. The CHP’s attempts were unsuccessful and at 12:35 p.m. Monday they requested the Merced Police Department go to Amandeep Singh’s residence.
When Merced Police Department arrived at the residence, they were not able to make contact with Amandeep Singh however, they were able to reach another family member. The family member attempted to contact Jasleen Kaur, Jasdeep Singh, and Amandeep Singh. When they were not able to reach their family members, they called the Merced County Sheriff's Office to report all three adults and the baby as missing.
At 1:04 p.m. Monday the sheriff’s office responded to a business on South Highway 59 and learned that the three adults and the baby had been kidnapped at gunpoint by an unknown individual. Investigators did get an image of the suspected kidnapper from a surveillance camera.
On Tuesday morning sheriff’s investigators learned that an ATM card belonging to one of the victims had been used as a bank in Atwater. A surveillance photo of the person making the transaction was obtained from the bank and it appeared to match that of the suspected kidnapper. However, around 7 p.m. Tuesday, the sheriff’s office released a statement saying it was not the suspected kidnapper.
“It was determined that the photo of the person at the ATM was not the person of interest that is in custody,” the sheriff’s office said. “The victim’s ATM card was used, however we are working with the bank to obtain the correct photo.”
The sheriff’s office has not provided details about Salgado’s suicide attempt or where he was located.
The sheriff’s department is working with the California Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigations and other local law enforcement agencies on the case.
“Investigators continue to follow up on all leads and are working diligently to find the family,” the sheriff’s office stated in a news release. “We continue to ask for the public’s help with any information that may assist us in locating the family’s whereabouts.”
Anyone with information regarding this incident or the whereabouts of the victims, can call the tip line at (209) 385-7547. The tip can be confidential.
