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Tag: Kidnappings

  • Nevada Motel Captive Rescued After Six Months Thanks To Facebook Post

    Sheena Herschbach was an ordinary woman, living out her life in California like anyone else. Her average life took a drastic and terrifying turn, however, when her ex-boyfriend, a man named Jason Greniger, showed up at her front door. He begged for Herschbach to forgive him and take him back; his play on her sympathies worked, and Herschbach left with him. Things quickly took a turn for the worst, however, when Greniger threatened to harm Herschbach and her children if she tried to resist him.

    Rightfully terrified, Herschbach listened to Greniger, and went with him to an MV motel in Mesquite, Nevada. There, Herschbach was threatened and abused by Greniger, who repeatedly hit her and continued to threaten harm to her children and family if she tried to escape. Herschbach, when describing the events to a local news station, said, “I was scared that he was going to kill me. The most painful part was when he would hit me in the head and keep on and wouldn’t stop.”

    This abuse continued for six months. The fear Greniger instilled into Herschbach was so strong that even when she was allowed to leave the building to pick up beer and groceries, she did not attempt to run away out of fear of what Greniger might do. Herschbach as finally able to summon the courage to seek help when she was allowed to visit a public library, where she accessed social media through the public computers. She logged into Facebook and made a status update that read, “I just whant to let every one know im sarry I whant to come home but he wont let me.” The post also had information about her location.

    Police officers were notified about the post, and came to Herschbach’s rescue later that day. They came to the hotel and arrested Greniger. Reports indicate that Herschbach was very timid and quiet as the police officers aided her; she also seemed fearful in the presence of Greniger. (Rightfully so, might this writer add.) Greniger attempted to hide his identity by using a false name, but police wee able to properly identify him by tattoos and other markings on his body. He was charged with kidnapping, as well a previous charge of malicious punishment against a child.

    Herschbach, who has been out of touch with her family during the entire ordeal, has been able to re-connect with her loved ones, including her multiple children. She was, sadly, greeted with the news that her mother had passed away in December, which took a toll on Herschbach. On the topic of her rescue and this news, Herschbach said, “I was relieved. I was already stressed out. I then come to find out my mom passed away a month ago and it just put me down more. I wish I would have never listened to him to beg me to come back. It’s not worth the pain.”

    This writer wishes the best to Herschbach and her family as she starts her healing process after such a terrible ordeal.

    Image via YouTube.

  • Allen Iverson Confronted Over Kidnapping Accusations [VIDEO]

    Earlier this week, former NBA all-star Allen Iverson was accused of kidnapping his own children. Iverson’s ex-wife, Tawanna Iverson filed court documents stating that Allen took the couple’s five children on a vacation on May 22, but has not returned them. Tawanna won full custody of the children in the couple’s 2010 divorce, claiming that Allen had been abusing alcohol and gambling heavily.

    In the court papers, Tawanna claimed that Allen was living with the children in a hotel in Georgia. Now, an Atlanta reporter has tracked down the hotel named in the document and confronted Allen about the kidnapping accusations.

    Jeff Hullinger, a reporter for Atlanta’s NBC 11, staked out a Sheraton Suites hotel in Cobb County, waiting for the former NBA star. When Allen did appear in the parking lot, it was with the children he is accused of having kidnapped. The reporter questioned Iverson as he walked to his car and bucked his children into their seats. When asked if he wanted to see the court documents, Iverson replied, “The say I stole my own kids?” He was then evasive over whether the accusations were true.

    “If that’s what you believe, that’s what people think I’m crazy enough to do then so be it,” said Iverson. “I ain’t never treated fairly. I don’t expect to, I don’t expect to be.

  • Allen Iverson Accused of Kidnapping Children

    Former NBA all-star Allen Iverson has been accused of kidnapping his own children.

    According to TMZ, Allen’s ex-wife has filed courtroom documents claiming that Iverson has not returned his five children after taking them on vacation. Tawanna Iverson states that Allen took their children, who range in age from three to 16, on a trip to North Carolina on May 22. The children were supposed to have been returned to Tawanna by May 26, but have still not been handed over.

    Tawanna also claims that the children were subsequently to be returned to her on June 4th, but that Allen did not show up for the exchange. She believes that Allen is keeping the children at a hotel in Georgia. Allen has also filed court documents claiming that Tawanna’s assertions are untrue.

    Tawanna and Allen have been battling it out over custody and child support payments for years. Tawanna filed for divorce from Iverson in 2010, and has full custody of the children. She has filed court documents in the past claiming that Allen has not paid child support since their divorce.

    The divorce came just as Allen’s NBA career was coming to an end. Though he had signed on once again with the Philadelphia 76ers, he began missing games, he claimed, to attend to the health of his daughter Messiah. Reports at the time began surfacing that Iverson had been indulging in heavy drinking and gambling, and was in significant debt as a result.

    (via TMZ)

  • Warehouse Captive Rescued by NYPD

    Warehouse Captive Rescued by NYPD

    Earlier this week, the Queens County District Attorney announced that three men have been charged with kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment in connection with the bold kidnapping of an Ecuadorian businessman. The men are alleged to have kidnapped Pedro Portugal from a Queens street in broad daylight and kept him in a Long Island City warehouse for over a month in a plot to ransom him for $3 million.

    Now, new details on how New York City Police detectives saved Portugal are coming to light.

    According to a Reuters report, NYPD detectives traced Portugal’s possible location by cross-referencing addresses associated with criminals who recently traveled to Ecuador. On May 20, detectives from the NYPD’s Major Case Squad posed as building inspectors and entered the warehouse. Portugal was found with his hands bound with cloth and duct tape and with a cap covering his eyes.

    An NYPD deputy inspector told Reuters that Portugal addressed the detectives by shouting “I’ve been kidnapped!” Meanwhile, one of the suspects in the kidnapping attempted to flee through a warehouse window. The kidnapper, later identified as Christian Acuna of Queens, was caught and arrested by one of the detectives.

    Portugal was reportedly beaten and had one of his hands burned with acid during his month-long ordeal. The kidnappers forced him to call his mother in Ecuador and demand $3 million in ransom money. The men now each face 25 years in prison.

  • 3 Arrests Made For $3 Million Ransom Plot

    3 Arrests Made For $3 Million Ransom Plot

    Three men on Wednesday were charged in a New York kidnapping and ransom plot.

    According to a statement from Queens County District Attorney Richard Brown, the three men, Christian Acuna, Dennis Alves, and Eduardo Moncayo, have all been charged with kidnapping and unlawful iprisonment. They each face up to 25 years in prison.

    The men allegedly kidnapped an Ecuadorian man named Pedro Portugal off of a Queens street on April 18. At least one of them is alleged to have posed as a police officer before Portugal was shoved into the back of an SUV and beaten as a mask was placed over his head. Portugal was then held in a Long Island City warehouse for over one month. The kidnappers also allegedly contacted Portugal’s mother in Ecuador and demanded a $3 million ransom.

    “This is a terrifying story of a businessman allegedly being forcibly abducted off the streets of Queens County in broad daylight and being beaten and held against his will for more than a month while his alleged kidnappers demanded $3 million from relatives in Ecuador for his safe return,” said Brown. “In the process, the victim allegedly suffered physical injuries and has been deeply traumatized by the ordeal. The case warrants vigorous prosecution.”

    An NYPD detective found Portugal in the warehouse on May 20. Portugal’s hands were reportedly bound with cloth and duct tape. Another detective was able to chase down Acuna, who fled the scene when police entered.

  • Michelle Knight Photo Finally Surfaces

    Michelle Knight Photo Finally Surfaces

    Earlier, we looked at photos of two of the three women – Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus – who were kidnapped a decade ago in Cleveland, and rescued this week. There had been no photos of third woman Michelle Knight circulating.

    Now, the first photo of Knight has come out (above), and was shown in this ABC News report:


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    According to Cleveland.com, the photo was reportedly taken in 1999.

    Knight is reportedly recovering in the hospital, as the other women (and Berry’s kid) have returned home.

    Knight was 21 years old when she was kidnapped. She had last been seen in August of 2002 until the rescue this week.

  • Here’s Amanda Berry’s 911 Call [Video]

    Here’s Amanda Berry’s 911 Call [Video]

    Three women – Amanda Berry, Gina Dejesus and Michelle Knight – disappeared over a decade ago in Cleveland, and were found today after being kidnapped and held captive.

    Cleveland police chief Ed Tomba reportedly said today, “The real hero is Amanda. She got this rolling.”

    Here’s her 911 call:

    Charles Ramsey, a guy who lives next door to the house where the girls have been held, heard the screams, and helped Berry, who also had a six-year old daughter with her. The father of the child has not been disclosed.

    The two other girls were found inside the home. Three brothers: Ariel (the owner of the house), Pedro and Onil Castro, have been arrested.

    Berry was reported missing on April 21, 2003.