Ferndale Business Woman’s Kidnapping Tip Results in Rescue

A Ferndale business owner’s tip resulted in the rescue of a woman and her 12-year-old daughter after the two were reportedly kidnapped by a gunman and terrorized for hours, Ferndale police said.

The 911 caller alerted Ferndale police that her sister and niece had been kidnapped in a carjacking in the area of Livernois and Cortland in Detroit. The Ferndale businesswoman, who police have not identified, had reportedly received a call from her sister on Dec. 12 and said she was being held for $200, according to a news release posted on Oakland County One-Fifteen by Lt. William Wilson of the Ferndale Police Department.

Ferndale police said that during the ordeal, the alleged kidnapper was able to gain the victim’s cooperation by holding her 12-year-old daughter as hostage. At one point, the suspect allegedly carjacked another car in Detroit and forced the victims into the newly stolen vehicle. Later, the returned to the woman’s car and got back into it.

There was initially some confusion about where the kidnapping took place because the 911 call came from Ferndale, but authorities were able to coordinate a rescue with Michigan State Police and the Detroit Police Department.

But before the rescue, the Ferndale businesswoman reportedly met her sister in the vicinity of Livernois and Davidson in Detroit, then followed the car to a remote area, where she handed over the $200.

The gunman was reportedly in the back seat, but Ferndale businesswoman told police she didnt get a good look at him because the windows of the vehicle were tinted. According to police statement, her sister drove away after the kidnapper received the money.

That’s when the businesswoman notified Ferndale police and the rescue operation began.

Using coordinates from the woman’s cell phone, authorities were able to get coordinates of the victim’s cell phone. The victim called again, said she needed her sister to meet her and give her more money, and provided an address.

Ferndale police notified Michigan and Detroit authorities. The agencies were able to rescue the woman and her daughter, and the suspect fled on foot.