California
Kidnapped Texas girl rescued in California after holding up
Quick-thinking bystanders in southern California helped rescue an out-of-state kidnapping victim who had been holding up a sign that said “help me” inside a car, authorities said Thursday.
The victim, a 13-year-old girl, was allegedly taken from a bus stop in San Antonio, Texas, the Long Beach Police Department said in a news release. The girl had allegedly been ordered into a vehicle at gunpoint on July 6.
On July 9, officers in Long Beach responded to a 911 call, where they found the teen “visibly emotional and distressed.” Investigating officers found that Good Samaritans were in a parking lot when they saw the victim in a parked vehicle holding a sheet of paper with “help me” written on it. They “immediately” called 911, police said.
Officers located and arrested the man suspected of kidnapping the teen. He was identified as 61-year-old Steven Robert Sablan. He had been inside a nearby laundromat washing clothes when the teen wrote the sign, officials said. Police said they found the firearm used to kidnap the girl was a black BB gun “which resembled a semi-automatic pistol.” They also found a pair of handcuffs inside the car.
Sablan was transported to the Long Beach City Jail, where he was booked for kidnapping, lewd and lascivious acts with a child, and fugitive from justice. He was booked on a $100,000 bail and was released to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on July 11, according to the jail’s website.
Sablan was indicted by a federal grand jury earlier this week and has been charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, the Central District of California U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release. His arraignment is scheduled for July 31 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the office, Sablan allegedly asked the victim how old she was. When she mentioned having a friend overseas, Sablan allegedly told the victim he could take her to a cruise ship to visit the friend, but she had to do something for him first. The girl was allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulted during the three days she was held by Sablan, according to the office.
If convicted of both charges filed by the federal grand jury, Sablan may face life in prison.
The teen, who was a reported runaway missing person, was placed in the custody of the San Antonio Department of Children and Family Services.
The Long Beach chief of police, Wally Hebeish, praised the Good Samaritans who had called 911.
“I want to commend our community members for their vigilance and willingness to get involved by calling 9-1-1. This incident highlights the critical role community members play in keeping people safe,” said Hebeish. “I would also like to acknowledge our officers for their swift response and actions which led to getting this victim to safety.”
A similar incident unfolded in South Carolina last month. An alleged kidnapping victim was rescued after a police officer saw her mouth “help me” during a traffic stop in North Myrtle Beach.
A damaged building is seen after an explosion in Palm Springs, Calif., on Saturday.
Eric Thayer/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Eric Thayer/AP
A fatal explosion outside a California fertility clinic Saturday morning is being investigated as an act of terrorism, according to an FBI official.
One person was killed and four were injured in the weekend blast that sent debris flying across multiple blocks in all directions, said Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
“Make no mistake, this is an intentional act of terrorism,” he said during a Saturday news conference.
Investigators were “not actively out searching for a suspect” but had identified a person of interest, Davis added. He did not say if that person was the one killed in the explosion.
Palm Springs Police Chief Andrew Mills said the public was not in any more danger. “I also want to make sure that our community understands this is an isolated incident. I am confident that the community is not at risk any longer,” he said.
American Reproductive Centers said Saturday in a post on Facebook that a vehicle had exploded in the parking lot near its Palm Springs facility earlier in the day. The clinic said no staff members were hurt and there was no damage to any of its eggs, embryos and reproductive material.
“This moment has shaken us—but it has not stopped us,” the post reads. “We will continue to serve with strength, love, and the hope that brings new life into the world.”
A firefighter stands at the scene of an explosion in Palm Springs, Calif., on Saturday.
Eric Thayer/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Eric Thayer/AP
Davis said the FBI believes the fertility clinic was targeted.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said Saturday evening that she had been briefed on the explosion. “We are working to learn more, but let me be clear: the Trump administration understands that women and mothers are the heartbeat of America,” she said in a post on X. “Violence against a fertility clinic is unforgivable.”
Bomb technicians were scouring the blast scene Saturday as part of the ongoing investigation, which was being led by the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
First responders arrived at the scene around 11 a.m. local time Saturday morning to find a debris field stretching over 250 yards, Davis said. He added that investigators were looking into the possibility that the bombing was live streamed.
Tiffany Slaton, a 28-year-old woman originally from Georgia, was found alive after surviving three weeks lost in the wilderness.
Slaton planned to spend three days in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, but after she fell off a cliff and an avalanche disrupted her path back to the main road, she spent three weeks lost in the mountains instead.
She embarked on her solo trip April 20 and was reported missing by her family April 29 after they hadn’t heard from her for nine days. After three weeks with dwindling food and supplies, Slaton was eventually found safe May 14, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office began a search after Slaton was reported missing, and alerted the public to keep an eye out for any sign of her. Several tips from the community were called in, with confirmed sightings of Slaton on April 20 and April 24.
During a May 16 press conference, Slaton detailed her harrowing experience, sharing, “When I fell off of this cliff, I was unconscious for about two hours and did indeed have to splint one of my legs and pop the other knee back into place.”
Slaton initially had food and supplies, but when her rations ran out, she relied on her own skills to survive, revealing during the press conference that she was “pretty good at foraging.”
She primarily ate leeks and drank snow melt, referring to herself as “a trained permaculturalist.” Slaton said, “That means I’m very good at foraging, but at the end after fighting nature for such a long time, I lost my tent, and I did eventually lose both sleeping bags, so I was outside with nothing but a lighter and a knife.”
Between May 6 and May 10, the search and rescue team conducted a search spanning almost 600 square miles, according to authorities. After going off course, Slaton walked for miles for several days before she came across a remote mountain resort, Vermilion Valley Resort, on May 13.
Slaton called the resort as her saving grace, sharing that without Vermilion Valley Resort, she “would not be here.”
The resort’s owner Christopher Gutierrez told reporters during a May 14 press conference that he purposefully leaves cabins open for emergencies should someone need to seek shelter from the elements. After Slaton arrived at the resort, she was there for approximately eight hours before Gutierrez found her and immediately contacted the sheriff’s office.
During the media conference, which included Slaton’s parents, Bobby and Fredrina Slaton, Gutierrez recalled the moment he saw the 28-year-old, explaining, “She pops out, didn’t say a word, just ran up, and all she wanted was a hug.”
“It was a pretty surreal moment,” he added. “And that’s when I knew. That’s when I realized who this was.”
Other than experiencing dehydration, Slaton was in “good condition” when medics arrived at the scene, the Sheriff’s Office noted. Slaton was subsequently transported to a hospital for further evaluation.
Due to exposure to bright light from the snow-covered terrain in the mountains, authorities said Slaton’s eyes were damaged to the point where she had to wear sunglasses for two days after her rescue.
During the press conference Wednesday, Slaton’s parents expressed their joy over their daughter being found. Bobbly Slaton recalled the first thing his daughter said to him after she had been rescued: “‘Dad, I’m alive, and I’m sorry.’”
“This has to be the third or fourth best day of our lives after our children’s birth,” Bobby Slaton said. “We are extremely excited and happy to hear the news that my daughter is now safe.”
IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.
-
Cafe in Florida allows customers to play with capybaras
03:21
-
Mexico suing company that helped MrBeast produce video on Mayan ruins
02:54
-
Now Playing
Woman missing for weeks in wilderness found alive in California
03:09
-
UP NEXT
Video shows dust storm sweeping through Chicago
00:33
-
Urgent search for Louisiana escaped inmates
02:52
-
Video shows 10 inmates escape from New Orleans jail
05:07
-
Devastating tornado hits St. Louis
02:26
-
Comey facing investigation over post about Trump
01:00
-
Cassie Ventura cross-examined in trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
01:55
-
Mother says pregnant daughter on ventilator is being kept alive because of Georgia abortion law
01:36
-
Commuter chaos as NJ Transit engineers go on strike
01:40
-
Moody’s downgrades U.S. credit rating on increase in government debt
02:47
-
New York brothers with no criminal history deported to El Salvador, lawyer says
01:53
-
Police search for inmates who escaped from New Orleans jail
04:22
-
Uber driver pulls gun on passengers in Florida
01:54
-
Video shows Florida police stopping smuggling operations
03:31
-
Bryan Kohberger attorneys push alternate perpetrators theory in Idaho deaths
03:21
-
Smokey Robinson under criminal investigation for allegations of sexual assault
02:46
-
Wisconsin judge pleads not guilty to obstructing immigration arrest
00:58
-
Justices hear arguments in birthright citizenship case
02:03
NBC News NOW
-
Cafe in Florida allows customers to play with capybaras
03:21
-
Mexico suing company that helped MrBeast produce video on Mayan ruins
02:54
-
Now Playing
Woman missing for weeks in wilderness found alive in California
03:09
-
UP NEXT
Video shows dust storm sweeping through Chicago
00:33
-
Urgent search for Louisiana escaped inmates
02:52
-
Video shows 10 inmates escape from New Orleans jail
05:07
NBC News NOW
NBC News NOW
NBC News NOW
NBC News NOW
NBC News NOW
Play All
Arizona HS volleyball roundup: Perry wins 6A championship
Arkansas high school softball: AAA 2025 state championship schedule
A deadly explosion outside a California fertility clinic is investigated as terrorism
ESPN says Deion Sanders and Colorado will show true colors in 2025
Face the Facts: How cuts could impact health care in Connecticut
-
Austin, TX1 week agoBest Austin Salads – 15 Food Places For Good Greens!
-
Technology1 week agoNetflix is removing Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
-
World1 week agoThe Take: Can India and Pakistan avoid a fourth war over Kashmir?
-
News1 week agoReincarnated by A.I., Arizona Man Forgives His Killer at Sentencing
-
News1 week agoWho is the new Pope Leo XIV and what are his views?
-
Politics1 week agoDepartment of Justice opens criminal investigation into NY AG Letitia James
-
World1 week agoNew German chancellor aims for stronger EU ties with France and Poland
-
News1 week agoJudge Orders Release of Rumeysa Ozturk, Tufts Student Detained by ICE