WESTMINISTER, Calif. — A couple has been arrested after their alleged involvement in a home invasion of their own family’s house in California.
According to a news release from the Westminister Police Department, Thursday morning just after 2:30 a.m., officers were called out to a house near the 14300 block of Pine Street for a report of kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon. When officers arrived, they found a man and woman who were bleeding from the head.
KTLA reported that investigators learned that two armed suspects had entered the house and demanded money. One of the suspects allegedly pistol-whipped both adult victims when they learned that there was no money inside the house. The suspects then allegedly forced the victims into a U-Haul cargo van located outside of the house. The suspects drove the victims to a hotel in Costa Mesa, California.
WPD said that the suspects allegedly threatened to kill the victims if they did not get their money. Both adult victims were eventually able to escape from the hotel and left the two children inside of the room. The adults both went back to their house and called 911.
Costa Mesa Police Department assisted WPD and found the two children uninjured in the hotel room. WPD said they continued to look for the suspects, who were spotted in their van near Goldenwest Street and Westminister Boulevard. Deputies conducted a traffic stop and both suspects were taken into custody.
According to KTLA, a .40 caliber loaded gun and a loaded AK-47 assault rifle were found inside the van.
The suspects were identified by WPD as Michael Alexander Rodriguez, 26, and Bich Dao Vo, also known as Michelle Rodriguez, 30.
According to the Orange County Register, Vo is the adult woman victim’s daughter, the mother of the baby and the sister of the girl.
“There are no other known suspects at-large thanks to the efforts of the Costa Mesa and Westminster Police Departments. This violent and disturbing crime is particularly disturbing, due to the young age of the two of the victims. The Westminster Police Department Major Crimes Unit will be further investigating this incident,” said Chief Lenyi in the news release.
Both Michael and Vo have been booked on recommended charges of kidnapping, assault with a firearm, robbery, false imprisonment, child endangerment and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to KTLA.
No further information has been released. The investigation is ongoing.