SnapChat message frees 14 year old kidnap and rape victim

The San Jose Police Department issued a press release on the 16th concerning three arrests that had been made in a case involving the kidnap and rape of a 14 year old girl.

In their statement, they disclosed that the victim, unsure of her location, used SnapChat to message friends that she had been kidnapped but didn't know where she was.

According to KPIX, she messaged saying, “Somebody help me. I’m in a random man’s car … I am not in Santa Cruz. Where am I?”

Police say that the friends were able to determine her location through the app and then called 911.

When police responded to the E-Z 8 motel in San Jose at about 11 am on the 14th, police made contact with 55 year old Albert Thomas Vasquez as he exited a motel room.  Inside, they located the victim.

Vasquez was arrested and taken to the Santa Clara County Jail where he was charged with kidnapping to commit rape, digital penetration with a child under 14 years with force, false imprisonment, lewd act with a child 14 or 15 with force, and rape by intoxication or controlled substance.

According to the police statement, Vasquez made contact with the girl in the City of Capitola earlier in the day on the 14th. He is then said to have given the girl drugs which caused her to become incapacitated.

Vasquez then allegedly called Antonio Quirino Salvador and Hediberto Gonzalez Avarenga for assistance.  Police state that the three placed the girl into their vehicle where Vasquez assaulted her while in route to the E-Z 8 motel.

On the 15th, both Salvador and Avarenga were arrested and charged with kidnapping and conspiracy.

Vasquez is due to appear in court this afternoon, and again on the 24th.  He is being held without bond.

Salvador is being held on $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court in the afternoon of February 3rd.  Avarenga's jail records could not be located, but are presumed to mirror those of Salvador.