(Please Note: Not everyone feels that Dateline did a good job of covering this story especially residents that lived close to the Valseca family. Pleas read comments below the article for their views.)
Last night's March 5, 2010 NBC Dateline special featured the frightening story of a husband and father, Eduardo Garcia Valseca, living in Mexico who was kidnapped and held ransom for 7 horrifying months.
He was kept in a small dark box, beaten and tortured on a daily basis by a group of unknown kidnappers who were demanding 8 million dollars for his release, when his family didn't have anywhere near that amount of money.
Eduardo's wife Jayne Valseca went through psychological hell as she attempted to negotiate with the kidnappers for months on end, worrying for her husbands safety.
Months after his kidnapping Eduardo was released after the kidnappers were paid a substantial amount of money. He was suffering from malnutrition as a result of starvation and could barely walk.
Now back on his feet and living in the United States Eduardo Garcia Valseca and his wife Jayne are ready to share their story with the world in the hopes of improving the kidnapping for ransom epidemic in Mexico.
Here's a NBC Today Show clip with some of the story terrifying story highlights:
Tags: kidnapping for ransom, mexico kidnapping, kidnapping epidemic in mexio, dateline nbc eduardo valseca, dateline kidnapping story, eduardo garcia valseca, jayne valseca
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16 comments:
Comment re "Dateline" story on kidnapping in Mexico: I thought it was pretty obvious that the viewer wasn't getting the whole story, that it was slanted to make a point. The tearjerking scenes of the wife looked staged (she's a minor actress)and the reporter's gratuitous remarks about the dangers of crime-ridden Mexico were commentary, not news. The American wife was never threatened other than being pushed around when the Mexican husband was grabbed. I have lived in San Miguel for five years and have always felt quite safe. After the show I talked to some of my neighbors, Mexicans and Americans who have lived here for years. Some of them knew or knew of the kidnappee; He was described as a very personable guy but possibly over his head in debt to some dangerous people. I have no personal knowledge of that; perhaps Dateline could investigate. I know Mexico-bashing is a sure winner on U.S. TV now but please - tell the whole story.
Thanks for your perspective on the story, it's appreciated. :)
Thank you for your story Dateline. I was moved by your story of the Valesco kidnapping. I believe it to be totally true and I am so saddened by the barbaric event that tormented this family. While I love Mexico, I will never travel to it in fear of being kidnapped. Since kidnapping is an epidemic and there is nothing to do to protect us Americans, I will gladly vacation elsewhere.I believe the San Miguel community wishes to wipe this dirty secret under the rug, but as long as people keep on coming forward like this brave family did, we will be aware of what truly goes on in Mexico. I wish the family of this awful experience, so peace and happiness and hope they remain safe for the rest of their lives. The were lucky to have another chance to see each other again. May love and light always protect them.
I`m a San Miguel citizen, and this is not the full story: I know personally Eduardo and Jayne and what they went thru was very bad and I don`t desire anybody in the world that they go thru this experience. But certainly the story is incorrect; only one side of it. The image that you are trying to put about our town or our country wont help in any way. I was there minutes after the kidnaping helping Jayne and follow through the seven months. If you want to get more information please do a better research and what really happened my e-mail is crisfin@hotmail.com
Thank you everyone for your comments and opinions. You know what they say, there are two sides to every story. Looks like there are many points of view when it comes to this one.
I am appalled to think that anyone needs to hear "another side" to this story! And who do you think is on the other side anyway? The kidnappers? What is the point of hearing another side? Would you be on the kidnappers side, if they had a good reason for doing it? As if there would be a good reason to kidnap someone. SERIOUSLY people, it does NOT matter if Eduardo was a bad person, or if he owed millions of money to bad people KIDNAPPING IS NOT OKAY TO DO TO ANYONE!!! Especially kidnapping that includes torture! I am VERY grateful that this story was told! I have never been to Mexico, but always wanted to. Now, after knowing the facts about Mexico, I will NEVER go there! I believe that anyone that is upset about this story "being one sided" is ridiculous and petty. It is a FACT that Mexico is known for kidnapping (among other bad things), don't blame America for talking bad about your country when we only speak the truth about your country. It sickens me that anyone would hear this story and speak badly about this family and what they are saying.
Some people are tripping for no reason, this dateline episode was based on JAYNEs story and horrible experiance. So I don't see why people are complaining about it only being one sided, are you kidding me! I don't know what people want to these heartless people want to hear, no one deserves to go through what this family went through. If people are getting offended that their town or country looking bad, they are blaming the wrong people, it's the kidnappers they should be blaming, not the family not the US, not dateline, not even their law inforcement who unfortunatly do not have the proper experience to help in these situation, only ones to blame is the aweful, evil people causing these horrors
For those apologist requesting the "other side" of the story. If you must know everyone telling a story or even an investigation are subject to bias. Having read and heard many criminal apologists wanting to see as to why criminals do this , must be some kind of sick person. What's more appalling is that there are laws which can be exploited to protect those create harm.
After seeing this and reading about all the kidnappings in Mexico I will never cross the border again after 8 years in a row it now has gotten to the point where I could never trust the authorities and it only takes one time!
I want to leave my comment in spanish because is the easier way to express how bad I feel that Mexico is going towards.
Yo soy de la ciudad de Mexico y tuve la oportunidad de vivir en Queretaro San Miguel de Allende una de las cisudades mas bonitas, es increible que hemos llegado a este extremo un afamilia que ayuda a la comunidad el pago es que los hieran de esa forma?, esta familia dba trabajos en Mexico y claro por la estupidez de nuestro gobierno tienen que irse del pais que tristeza.
Yo los apoyo que hayan tomado la decision de hbalr en cadena abierta de lo que les paso ojala nuestro gobierno le de un poco de pena y hagan algo, es increible como los mexicanos nos hemos acostumbradoa vivir y a escuchar cada dia sobre asaltos, masacres, secuestros y ya se nos haga tan normal, somos tantos necesitamos alzar la voz como esta familia, no puedo creer que haya gente que se enoje por exponer el caso y este preocupada por el turismo heyyyyyyy tu que estas indignado de todas maneras el turismo se va a ir esto le esta pasando a todos extranjeros y nacionales porque quieres tapar la realidad por eso nustro gobierno no hace nada pro gente como tuuuuuuuu asi que mejor apoyalos y reza para que el siguiente o la sigiente no sea tu familiaaaa por eso hay que hablr y gritar que ya bastaaaaaaa.
Yo vivo en Estados Unidos casada con un americano y por supuesto que mis viajes a Mexico cada vez son mas limitados pero si nadie hace nada es un cuento de nunca acabar.
Ojala puedan contactar a el Sr Marti dueno de una de las tiendas de deportes mas importantes en Mexico a el le secuestraron a su hijo ,y lamentablemente los secuestradores mataron a su hijo desde entonces ha formado un grupo muy importante y poderoso para exigir a las autoridades que trabajen
una vez mas digo que triste que Mexico este en esta situacion siendo tan bonito
Jayne had mentioned at the end of the broadcast about trying to develop or organize a group to help combat this problem. Since the Mexican police system seems quite flawed and corrupt I, for one, would love to help in such and organization.
I'm not Anonymous, I'm Jayne, and I thought I'd answer, just for the record.
I am grateful for the kind comments and to those who have come to our defense without even knowing us. For those who have left negative comments, I feel sad for you. You don't know me or my family and don't have a clue as to what you are talking about. I do have to question the mentality of anyone who could see the Dateline coverage of our story and somehow decide to attack us. We have received countless messages of support from around the world, but the only people who have anything negative to say are the business owners from San Miguel who would like to blame Eduardo and I or NBC for the fact that the tourists aren't coming to Mexico at the moment. If you want more tourism, address your crime problem. Become active. Do something about it. Why would you attack the victim of a crime like this? I question the character of these people. I wonder what it is that motivates them.
As far as the person who says that she/he knows us and helped me in some way through the 7 1/2 months, if I knew you I would certainly recognize your e-mail, which I don't. The only people who know the whole story, of which the Dateline special accurately highlighted, are my family members, of which you are not. If you are so close to me, then why would you choose to express yourself here, and not contact me directly?
It's amazing to me that there are citizens of San Miguel who have taken this kind of a stance based on gossip they've heard around town that has no basis in truth, and have somehow made Eduardo and I out to be the criminals. If you really want to defend San Miguel, focus on security, not victim bashing.
Jayne
I just saw the rerun of the dateline story. It is unbelievable that ANYONE would even consider 'the other side'...the filthy kidnappers...as being relevant!!! Outrageous really. Yours is, ultimately, a love story...may you and Eduardo and family live in peace.
Jayne, why have you and Eduardo turned your back on Gustavo and Oscar? Gustavo risked his life to deliver the ransom. Oscar was a trusted employee and friend and you repay his efforts by firing him. What are you hiding?
One side two sides, 1 or 2 stories.....does not matter ..the point here is he was kidnapped and mexico does nothing about it ...and supposedly they will never find out who the kidnappers are ....how convenient !!!!!!!!and that's why alot of people stopped visiting mexico
One story, 2 stories .one side 2 sides...doesn't matter ..the point here is that there was A kidnapping and mexico does nothing about it ...and they neve find the kidnappers ...how convenient !!!! Mexico is so corrupted is disgusting....that's why alot of people stopped visiting mexico
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