Daughter of American woman taken in Mexico gets ransom call
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(NewsNation) — It has been 39 days since Maria Del Carmen Lopez was kidnapped from her home in Pueblo Nuevo, Mexico. Her family is yet to receive any updates from the FBI on the status of the investigation.
“It’s been a roller coaster for the last 39 days. It definitely seems like we’re actually living inside of a nightmare,” said Zonia, Maria’s daughter.
Zonia was alerted by family members in Mexico about her mother’s kidnapping. The kidnappers then made contact with Zonia, asking for a bounty for her mother.
“It was shocking. It was an actual, it’s like your body and your mind. Everything goes into a state that obviously you’ve never been in,” Zonia said. “It’s disbelief, but at the same time, as weird as it sounds, some kind of comfort because you’re at least having some kind of communication.”
The FBI is offering a $20,000 reward for any information leading to Maria’s whereabouts as the family grows desperate for information. The Lopez family is also holding out hope that Mexican authorities are able to do more to help her.
“We’re hoping that in the next few days, the government in Mexico gives full support to the authorities there and their troops to conduct the search…..that they enable everything in their power, so that they can find my mother and that this doesn’t become another kidnapping, where it just goes unsolved,” said Zonia.
This comes as three women from Texas disappeared after they entered Mexico last month. The FBI and local authorities were alerted of their disappearance and are investigating, but have not offered any updates on that case either.
Former U.S. Rep. and FBI Special Agent Mike Rogers said what makes things harder for U.S. law enforcement is that all this is happening on “foreign territory.”
“That’s what makes it so challenging for the FBI,” he explained on “NewsNation Live.” “It’s in Mexico. They’ll need the Mexican authorities to help and assist in the investigation to get her back, including maybe even facilitating the payment.”
There are over 100,000 Mexican nationals missing in Mexico currently.
“We know we’re not the only family already. And we know that there are plenty of others. They deserve answers also,” said Zonia.
