Was Vallejo kidnapping really a hoax? Police suddenly quiet

After days of rapidly unfolding developments, the investigation into the alleged kidnapping of Denise Huskins has slowed to a crawl.

The 29-year-old Vallejo resident was allegedly kidnapped from her boyfriend’s home, held for ransom and then mysteriously re-appeared at a family home in Huntington Beach -- 420 miles away.

Vallejo police initially said the reported kidnapping was a hoax that had taken officers on a “wild goose chase,” wasted their time, scared the community and took focus away from real victims who might need police.

Asked Monday if the case was still considered a hoax, police declined to say.

Vallejo police Lt. Kenny Park on Monday said that there were no new details into the alleged March 23 abduction and that he had “absolutely no idea” how long the investigation would take.

“At some point in the future, the picture will clear up for everyone,” Park said.

Huskins, who was allegedly held for an $8,500 ransom, turned up last Wednesday in Huntington Beach, where she said her kidnappers had dropped her off.

Her attorney, Douglas L. Rappaport, denounced investigators’ claims that Huskins had made up the kidnapping, adding that she would “do whatever it takes to clear her name.”

On Thursday, she was questioned for hours by the FBI and Vallejo police, Rappaport said.

But before she ever met with police, Rappaport says police were quick to judge his client.

Her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, told police that Huskins had been “forcibly taken against her will” sometime between midnight and 5 a.m. from his home and held for ransom. He didn’t report her kidnapping until after noon.

But his attorneys said Quinn didn’t report the kidnapping for roughly 10 hours because the kidnappers bound and drugged him.

To prove he was drugged, Quinn provided blood samples. He also gave authorities the passwords to his email accounts and was interrogated for 17 hours by FBI and police, his attorney said.

Quinn’s attorney said his client was not lying and that he had been drugged and Huskins was kidnapped and held for ransom.

“He basically has died and gone to hell,” attorney Dan Russo said. “He is in terrible shape.”

Among the bizarre events is an audio recording obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle last week in which a woman claiming to be Huskins says she was abducted and otherwise “fine.”

The Chronicle said it received a letter Thursday, purporting to be from her alleged kidnappers. They wanted to clear her name.

The Los Angeles Times has received a similar letter from an anonymous sender, but police declined to comment about the letter, and its authenticity has not been verified.

Police said Huskins and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, could face charges once their investigation is completed.

For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA