Woman believed held for ransom found safe
VALLEJO, Calif. — The northern California woman who had been missing since Monday is safe, Huntington Beach police confirmed Wednesday.
Officers said they found 29-year-old Denise Huskins at a relative's home in the Southern California beach city after being informed she had called her father earlier Wednesday.
Jeff Kane, Huskins' uncle, said Huskins told her father that she was safe at an apartment complex in Huntington Beach — a complex that her father manages, Kane said.
Huskins, 29, told her dad, "Daddy, I'm safe. They dropped me off in Huntington Beach," Kane said.
Huskins did not elaborate on "they."
"It seems like to me it was someone who knew her. You don't just go on an island to kidnap someone," Kane said.
Huntington police said they were working with the Vallejo Police Department heading up the Huskins' investigation. Huntington detectives were interviewing Huskins.
Vallejo police said they are continuing to treat the case as a kidnapping and ransom.
On Monday at 1:55 p.m., Huskins' boyfriend, 30-year-old Aaron Quinn, called to report she had been forcefully taken from his Mare Island home in the middle of the night and that the intruders had demanded a ransom for her return. The man said that Huskins was forcibly taken against her will at the location sometime Monday morning, according to police.
During a news conference Wednesday, Vallejo police Lt. Kenny Park said that investigators were evaluating and verifying information and multiple tips. Vallejo detectives were making arrangements to travel to Huntington Beach to interview Huskins.
Park said that Quinn was still considered a victim and a witness in the case.
Contributing: Carlos Saucedo, KXTV-TV, Sacramento, Calif.