The mother of a kidnapped infant spoke out Thursday after watching his alleged kidnappers make their first appearance in a San Jose courtroom.
It was difficult to watch the suspects in court, Jessica Ayala said, adding she is grateful and holding her baby boy a little tighter after he was found Tuesday.
"I’m thankful to God for giving the chance to reunite with my son and the authorities that made this possible," Ayala said in Spanish while speaking to reporters outside the courthouse. "We are very happy as a family, me as a mother, my husband is very happy as a father, that we have Brandon with us safe and sound. I can’t explain with words what my heart feels.”
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Jose Roman Portillo, 28, and Yesenia Guadalupe Ramirez, 43, are charged with kidnapping and related felonies after 3-month-old Brandon Cuellar was taken from his grandmother's San Jose home, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. Portillo and Ramirez are being held on no bail and will return to court at noon Friday.
A third suspect arrested in connection with the kidnapping was released without charges, NBC Bay Area confirmed.
During an interview with NBC Bay Area's sister station, Telemundo 48 on Thursday night, Ayala discussed being in the courtroom and seeing the people accused of taking her baby boy.
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"Believe me, it was really hard to endure," she said. "To see her and not being able to do anything."
Ayala added that she had strong emotions when she saw Ramirez and Portillo walked into The Santa Clara County Court.
Both were handcuffed as the judge laid out the charges against them of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, child abduction and burglary.
“Yesenia (Ramirez) looked at me with some eyes with hate in her eyes and she didn’t lose eye contact with me,” Ayala said.
