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  • Los Angeles Times

    Why I hung up on the person who said he kidnapped my child

    by Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times Dec 08, 2022 6 minutes
    Erik Arbuthnot, a special agent in the FBI, said "virtual kidnapping for ransom" is typically the work of inmates in foreign prisons.

    LOS ANGELES — I was driving home on the 110 Freeway when the music on the radio was interrupted by a phone call. The number displayed on my dashboard was (111) 111-1111 — an obvious fake. I should have let it go straight to voicemail, but for some reason I answered.

    "Dad, you have to help me!" a young and nearly hysterical voice said. "Please, help me!"

    It didn't sound like either of my sons, but the caller was so upset, I couldn't be sure. "Who is this?" I asked.

    "Dad, it's me! I need help!" the caller replied, but then a different, older voice came on, asking if I was going to help my child. If not, he said, he was ready to put a bullet into the kid's brain.

    I was certain the sobbing child wasn't my older son. And I knew exactly where my younger son was, so I was pretty dang sure it wasn't him either.

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