After being abducted by unknown gunmen earlier this month, three-year-old Briant Rodriguez was returned to his home.  According to authorities, Rodriguez was found roaming the streets of Mexicali, Mexico. 

Federal police in Mexicali promptly informed San Bernardino police of the boy's whereabouts after seeing the child wandering aimlessly.  While Rodriguez's hair was visibly cut, there were no apparent signs of physical abuse.  Upon being reunited, both mother and son seemed happy and relieved.  But the question remains: what or who could have prompted the abduction of three-year-old Briant Rodriquez?

According to reports, two men, each carrying handguns, entered Rodriguez’s home at 2:30 p.m. and tied up Maria Rosalina Millan, his mother, and her five children.  After 20 minutes of ransacking the home, the men left with money and something of higher value: Briant Rodriguez.

Fortunately for the family, an eight-year old boy was able to wiggle free and untie the rest of his family.  Though the gunmen initially told Millan not to contact the police, Millan immediately informed authorities. 

Sheriff lieutenant Rick Ells said, "I don’t think I could impress on you how rare a kidnapping like this is."  Investigators see no clear motive for the abduction because the kidnappers seemed to be strangers to the family.

Immediately after the kidnapping. Jodi Miller, San Bernardino’s Sheriff spokeswoman announced, “authorities along the U.S-Mexico border have been put on alert” and FBI investigators are also helping in the investigation.  At the time of the abduction, Briant Rodriguez was wearing a yellow shirt, blue striped shorts and black sandals.  Bulletins announcing Rodriguez’s Hispanic ethnicity, height, and weight were also released to aid in the search.
          
Through the progression of the week, Briant Rodriguez’s mother and family were visibly distraught but still on the search of their beloved son and brother. 

Since the initial abduction, Rodriguez’s kidnappers have been sketched and a video of the two suspects in a convenience store were released to the public. Descriptions of Briant Rodriguez and the alleged kidnappers were then posted on freeways and highways in hope of a clue of Rodriguez’s whereabouts.  In view of the fact that the Rodriguez family had received no such communication from the abductors, hope that the child was living at the time seemed slim.

Though the abductors have not been caught, authorities are hard at work and hope they can capture Rodriguez’s kidnappers.  As for the Rodriguez family, they just hope to remain united and are grateful to all that helped return Briant Rodriguez to his family and to his home.