SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) – Three suspects were in custody Tuesday in connection with the kidnapping of a 3-month-old baby the previous day, the San Jose Police Department said.
3-month old Brandon Cuellar, who police referred to as “Baby Brandon,” was found alive shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. The infant was being taken to a local hospital for evaluation, police said in a tweet.
Further details are scheduled to be announced at a press conference later Tuesday.
The department had been searching for the 3-month-old since Monday, as well as the kidnapper who entered a residence in San Jose and left with the infant.
Early Tuesday, the California Highway Patrol released a description of a vehicle possibly used by the suspect. The CHP then took down the tweet, which had described the vehicle as a 2011 Silver Nissan Quest.
A police officer confirmed to KRON that a car was being towed Tuesday morning in connection with the case.
What we know
SJPD Sergeant Christian Camarillo said the child’s grandmother was watching him at the time of the kidnapping, and the boy’s mother was at work. Cuellar’s grandmother was downstairs unloading groceries when the kidnapper walked in and took the baby.
The suspect was described as a Hispanic male who was wearing black pants, a dark blue shirt, gray shoes with white trim, a gray baseball hat and a black face mask. Police did not believe he was homeless, based on his appearance. The suspect also brought his own baby carrier, which was black with a white blanket. Cuellar’s family did not recognize the man.
Baby Brandon was wearing a white long-sleeve onesie with dinosaurs at the time of the kidnapping.
Camarillo also said the baby’s father is incarcerated and “out of the picture.”
In an earlier news conference Tuesday, Camarillo said officers had been working to find the baby throughout the night, saying it was their “No. 1 goal.”
“We have not gone home. We are still on this. We are going into hour 20,” Camarillo said. “Time is of the essence.”
Camarillo also said a person of interest was with the grandmother Monday when the kidnapping happened, and there were inconsistencies in her story. He added that the inconsistencies, which concerned the sex of the person of interest and that of the stated suspect, would be explained in due time.
“There are a lot of details that are still to come,” he said. “We do believe this was planned. It wasn’t a random act. He showed up with a baby carrier, took the baby, and then left.”
Camarillo added, “There’s a lot of i’s that need to be dotted and t’s that need to be crossed.”
The FBI confirmed to KRON that it assisted the SJPD in finding the child.
How to submit a tip
Police said a cash reward will be offered for information on the case. Anyone with information is asked to call SJPD detectives at (408) 277-4166. Additional police hotline numbers are listed below:
- 408-537-1142
- 408-537-1916
- 408-537-1282
- 408-537-1522
- 408-537-9066
