Deadly Kidnapping In Mexico: Two American Tourists Killed, Two Survive Cosmetic Surgery Trip Gone Wrong, Survivors Transported To Hospital

Tragedy has struck as two of the four Americans who were kidnapped at gunpoint last week while traveling to Matamoros, Mexico for cosmetic surgery have been confirmed dead. The survivors have been transported to a Brownsville, Texas hospital for treatment, authorities say. More details about the deadly kidnapping inside…

Mexican officials said Tuesday that two of the four Americans kidnapped by armed gunmen in a border city in Mexico on Friday were found dead and two were found alive.

Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal Anaya said in a phone call with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador that was played at a news conference that "ambulances and security personnel" were now attending to and providing medical support to the survivors. According to reports, the two surviving Americans have been transported to a Brownsville, Texas hospital for treatment.

On March 3rd, four US citizens were kidnapped by armed men as they drove into Matamoros, Mexico, in the north-eastern state of Tamaulipas, just across the border from Texas.

 

 

 

 

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The four Americans have been identified as Latavia "Tay" McGee (pictured above), Shaeed Woodard (pictured above), Zindell Brown, and Eric James Williams (below).

Barbara Burgess, 54, McGee's mother, told ABC News that her daughter traveled from South Carolina to Mexico for a cosmetic medical procedure (tummy tuck) and warned her not to go. But, her daughter brushed off her concerns telling her: “Ma, I’ll be okay”.

On Friday (March 3rd), Latavia called her mom to inform her that they were only 15 minutes away from the cosmetic surgeon's office where she was slated to undergo the procedure that day. However, Barbara did not receive any further communication from her daughter thereafter.

According to her mother, Latavia McGee, a mother of six children, and her cousin Shaeed Woodard were among the victims in Matamoros along with their friends Zindell Brown and Eric James Williams.

The kidnappers, who remain unidentified, ambushed the group as they drove across the border from Texas, firing on their white minivan with North Carolina license plates. The FBI reports that video footage shows the group being loaded into a pickup truck by heavily armed men. One was manhandled onto the vehicle, while others appeared to be unconscious and were dragged to the truck. A Mexican woman who was a bystander was also killed in the incident.

Witnesses captured video footage of the kidnapping. You can watch it below. WARNING: The clip below could be triggering to some:

Video purportedly shows the kidnapping of 4 American citizens in Mexico near the Texas border.pic.twitter.com/XTqInsP5te

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 6, 2023

The survivors, a man and a woman, are in the hands of authorities and receiving medical attention. Reports suggest that investigators believe the Mexican drug cartel may have mistaken the Americans for Haitian drug smugglers.

The incident has shocked the international community, with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressing his condolences to the families of the victims and the US government.

While medical tourism is common in Mexico, particularly among people living in US border states, Matamoros is one of the most dangerous cities in the country. Drug cartels control large swathes of the state of Tamaulipas and often wield more power than local law enforcement. The US State Department advises against travel to six Mexican states, including Tamaulipas, due to high levels of crime and kidnapping. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved in traveling to dangerous areas, and the importance of staying vigilant and informed about the risks when traveling abroad.

Let us keep the families of the victims in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Photos: AP Photo/ Courtesy Laquonda Green/Meechi Ream-Williams

source: theybf