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Mother And Daughter Reunited 14 Years After She Was Allegedly Abducted By Her Father
A social media post led to a reunion between Angelica Vences-Salgado and her daughter Jacqueline Hernandez, who disappeared in 2007.
A Florida mother and daughter have been reunited 14 years after the then 6-year-old was allegedly snatched by her father.
The Clermont Police Department Detective Division said they received a call from Angelica Vences-Salgado on Sept. 2. She told police that someone claiming to be her daughter had reached out to her on social media. The girl said she was in Mexico and wanted Vences-Salgado to meet her at the point of entry located at the border in Laredo, Texas on Friday.
Based on documentation provided by Vences-Salgado, local and federal law agencies were able to determine that the teenager was her daughter. Authorities "determined that the female was indeed Jacqueline Hernandez who was abducted from her mother in 2007. At approximately 4:55 pm, Jacqueline, now 19 years old was successfully reunited with her mother," police said in a statement.
"This is a prime example of what can be accomplished when multiple law enforcement agencies and their respective communities work cooperatively together and maintain open lines of communication. In this case, several agencies in different counties and states across the nation were able to create a force multiplier and aid in reuniting the victim with her mother after 14 years," Clermont Police Chief Charles Broadway said in a statement.
Others echoed those sentiments.
“A kidnapped daughter was reunited with her mother as a result of enforcement working together,” said David Pezzutti, assistant special agent in charge at Homeland Security Investigations in Orlando, in a statement. “This is a great example of how strong partnerships in law enforcement can work to solve problems no matter the complexity or distance.”
A felony warrant for kidnapping had been issued for Pablo Hernandez, the girl’s father, on Dec. 27, 2007. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said in a flyer at the time that father and daughter may be have been traveling in Mexico.
Police did not provide details on how Hernandez located her mother or how she spent the intervening years. It’s also unclear, if police are still searching for her father.