Missing California mother was found ‘heavily battered,’ dispatch records show

Sherri Papini, the Northern California mother missing for three weeks, was found on the side of a road on Thanksgiving morning chained and “heavily battered,” according to police dispatch logs.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of Papini’s abduction and are looking for two women they believe are the kidnappers.

The 34-year-old woman was found bound by restraints along Interstate 5 in Yolo County. Officials were called about 4:30 a.m. after Papini was able to flag down a motorist. The mother of two was treated for injuries and reunited with her husband, Keith.

The Redding Record-Searchlight quoted dispatch logs from the California Highway Patrol, which said Papini was “heavily battered” and “chained to something.”

Speaking on “Good Morning America,” Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said detectives are hoping to get more information from Papini soon in an effort to find her kidnappers.

“It shows what a community can do when it works together to get the word out,” he said.

Residents who had been helping with the search were relieved that Papini was found safe.

“It was just the biggest blessing, not only for the family but for the community that’s been trying to find her,” Sandra Oswald, a 29-year-old community organizer in Redding, told the Associated Press. “Now, it’s just praying for them and her recovery.”

Before Papini was found, police had filed about 20 search warrants in court related to the investigation. Many were filed under seal, the Sacramento Bee reported.

esmeralda.bermudez@latimes.com

Los Angeles Times staff writer Shelby Grad contributed to this report.