BREAKING: Two of the four Americans kidnapped in Mexico have been found dead, while the other two have been found alive
A group trip to Mexico turned into a horrible nightmare and sadly a deadly situation.
As it was previously reported, the friends traveling from South Carolina all decided to support their friend — a mother of six — who had a scheduled medical procedure across the border. Latavia “Tay” Washington McGee, 33, drove to Mexico with Shaeed Woodard, Zindell Brown, and their friend Eric for the surgery, but she never made it to her doctor’s appointment on Friday, her mother Barbara Burgess told the outlet.
Tragically, the group got kidnapped. Latavia’s mother Burgess told CNN she was made aware of the situation on Sunday by the FBI. Video showed the group in Matamoros where they were fired upon by an unidentified gunman and “placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men,” according to the FBI. An innocent Mexican bystander was also killed in the encounter, US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said. Following an urgent search for the four travelers, on Monday, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that only two had been found dead, while the other two have been found alive. The Mexican president said one of those found alive was injured.
The governor added that “ambulances and security personnel” were now attending to and giving medical support to the survivors.
As of right now, reports have not yet stated exactly which of the victims are deceased and still alive.
More On What Happened
According to Mexico’s president, the Americans were taken after getting caught in the middle of a confrontation between groups,
who told reporters Monday that they “crossed the border to buy medicines in Mexico.”
A US official familiar with the ongoing investigation told CNN that investigators believe the Americans were targeted by a Mexican cartel that likely mistook them for Haitian drug smugglers.
Tamaulipas Attorney General Irving Barrios previously said Federal and local Mexican authorities were participating in the effort to locate the missing Americans. Since then, Tamaulipas has since confirmed the developments in a tweet saying,
“Derived from the joint search actions, the four American citizens deprived of their liberty last Friday were found,” he said. “Unfortunately, two dead. Investigation and intelligence work continue to capture those responsible. Details will be given later.”
We will continue to keep you updated as this story develops.