Escondido

A 2-year-old Escondido boy, identified only as Bobby, was kidnaped and held for ransom for 10 hours Sunday before being rescued by authorities. He apparently had been beaten and left alone in an Escondido house, police said.

Sunday’s abduction was the second time in two months that the boy had been taken from one of his parents, said Escondido Police Detective Dick Callister, who added that the boy’s father said he went to Mexico and took Bobby away from his natural mother two months ago.

Herlinda Vargas, who is the girlfriend of the boy’s father, Robert Johnson, was arrested in connection with Sunday’s abduction and was being held without bail at County Jail in Vista, police said.

About 7:18 a.m. Sunday, Johnson called police after discovering that Bobby had been taken away in his truck, Callister said. During the day, Vargas allegedly demanded $200 in cash and unspecified amounts of crystal methamphetamine in return for the child, Callister said.

Under the guidance of police, Johnson arranged to meet Vargas at an Escondido Lane supermarket to make an exchange for the child. Shortly before 9:30 p.m., police arrested Vargas in the parking lot of Food Basket, Callister said.

Vargas told police she had dropped Bobby off at the home of Johnson’s sister about two miles away in the 500 block of 2nd Avenue, Callister said.

The boy, who was found with fresh bruises on his face, has been turned over to youth authorities, police said.