Kidnapped US Teen Rescued by Police Thanks to Snapchat

The teen had notified friends she had been kidnapped via the popular app.

Advertisement
By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 18 January 2020 11:35 IST
Highlights
  • Snapchat helped determine the victim's location and alert authorities
  • One man was arrested from the hotel where the victim was being held
  • Two more men were nabbed on charges of kidnapping and conspiracy

Snapchat app helped the victim in reporting the crime and aided authorities in rescuing her

A California teen who had been drugged and kidnapped was rescued by police this week after using Snapchat to alert her friends to her abduction. Police said the 14-year-old victim on Tuesday notified friends she had been kidnapped via the popular app and they were able to determine her location and alert authorities. One man was arrested as he left the motel in San Jose, in northern California, where the girl was being held and two other suspects were taken into custody on Wednesday, police said in a statement.

They said one of the suspects, Albert Vasquez, 55, met the victim shortly before her abduction and gave her drugs that left her incapacitated.

Vasquez then called the two other suspects who put the teen in their vehicle against her will, police said.

Advertisement

Vasquez allegedly raped the teen in the car before taking her to a motel where he sexually assaulted her again.

Advertisement

He has been charged with multiple felony counts including kidnapping to commit rape and rape by intoxication or controlled substance.

The two other suspects -- Antonio Salvador and Hediberto Avarenga -- were charged with kidnapping and conspiracy.

 

Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Samsung Galaxy A07 5G Launched With 6,000mAh Battery: Price, Features
  2. Flipkart Sale Early Deals: iPhone 17 Price in India Drops Under Rs. 75,000
  3. Here's When the Vivo V70 Series Could Launch in India
  4. Honor Magic 8 Pro Air Unboxing Video Reveals Key Specifications
  5. NoiseFit Pro 6R With Up to Seven Days Battery Life Launched in India
  6. Here Are Some of the Best Smartphones Available in India With AMOLED Displays
  7. Poco M8 5G Goes on Sale in India for the First Time Today With These Offers
  1. Astronomers Find ‘Mystery Engine’ Powering Massive Nebula Around a Dead Star, Challenging Physics
  2. Vivo V70 Series India Launch Timeline Leaked; Two Models Expected to Debut
  3. iPhone 17 Price in India Drops Under Rs. 75,000 Ahead of Flipkart Republic Day Sale 2026
  4. Slack Introduces Agentic AI: How the New Slackbot Automates Your Workflow
  5. Arc Raiders' Sales Cross 12.4 Million Copies as Embark Studios Rolls Out New Update
  6. Space Gen: Chandrayaan OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch Nakuul Mehta, Shriya Saran Starrer Online?
  7. Qubo Dashcam 4G Live Launched in India With Live GPS Tracking, Safety Alerts Alongside Dashcam Trio: Price, Features
  8. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 to Reportedly Miss Out on Major Camera Upgrades; Specifications Leak
  9. Apple's iOS 26.3 Beta 2 Update Hints at End-to-End Encryption Support for RCS Messaging: Report
  10. Realme P Series Phone With 10,000mAh Battery Spotted on BIS Website; Could Launch in India Soon
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.