Sheriff’s deputies and Oceanside Police were on the lookout for at least two people in connection with the alleged kidnapping of a 23-year-old Oceanside woman, whose parents received a ransom demand for her safe return.
was reported missing late Tuesday, about an hour after two people told authorities they saw a man force a woman into the trunk of a gray or silver Nissan Altima following an argument at Montiel Park in San Marcos, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Oceanside police. The woman was hit in her head twice with the trunk lid in the process.
One of the witnesses called for help as a black Chevy pickup truck with a man and woman inside pulled up near the Altima, but the truck drove off shortly afterward. Sheriff’s Detective Reynaldo Dominguez said the Chevy’s occupants might have been spooked when the witness moved his vehicle so its headlights illuminated the Altima.
The witnesses were unable to jot down either of the vehicle’s license plate numbers and could not describe the occupants.
One of Hagen’s parents told police they had been contacted by an unidentified person who demanded between $1,000 and $2,000 or she would be killed, authorities said. The self-proclaimed kidnapper directed the parents to meet at a shopping center near Oceanside police headquarters to make the payment.
As law enforcement agencies in both cities began their preliminary investigations, Hagen’s parents got another call from the apparent abductor, who changed the meeting place to an AM/PM in Vista.
A deputy went to the convenience store around 3 a.m. Wednesday and spotted Hagen inside. A man then ran out of the business, got into a waiting car and was driven away, according to Oceanside police Lt. Leonard Cosby.
Oceanside police interviewed Hagen and determined that she had been in the trunk of the Altima in San Marcos. Oceanside police turned over the case to the sheriff’s department, since the kidnapping occurred in the latter agency’s area of jurisdiction, according to Cosby.
The relationship between the victim and the other subjects involved has yet to be determined. Dominguez said detectives have tried to contact Hagen for a statement, but she had been unavailable.
Hagen had lived with her parents until about 11 days ago, when she left home following a disagreement, Cosby said. It was unclear where she stayed thereafter.
Anyone with additional information on the alleged kidnapping was asked to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
—City News Service
