By David K. Li —
NBC News
The "only lead" police have in the hunt for a kidnapped family in California is a man who is now unconscious after a suicide attempt, authorities said Wednesday.
Jesus Manuel Salgado, who was originally taken into custody as a "person of interest" in the case, is now listed as a suspect by Merced County Sheriff's deputies.
Before they could arrest him, Salgado, 48, attempted suicide.
He is now in a hospital under sedation and detectives are waiting for him to regain consciousness for questioning.
Eight-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her parents, Jasleen Kaur, 27, and Jasdeep Singh, 36, and the baby's uncle, Amandeep Singh, 39. Merced County Sheriff's Office
“You have to pray that this suspect is somehow convinced to talk to us because that person right now is our only lead as to where people are,” Sheriff Vern Warnke told reporters.
The man is under induced sedation because doctors need him under control so they can provide vital care.
"They didn't want him to get agitated," Warnke said, "I can tell you that every time he has regained consciousness it has been violent."
The whereabouts of Aroohi Dheri, 8 months old;
her parents, Jasleen Kaur, 27, and Jasdeep Singh, 36;
and the baby's uncle, Amandeep Singh, 39, remained a mystery on Wednesday.
The Sheriff's Office released surveillance camera video showing the kidnapping: a man could be seen walking down Highway 59 in Merced carrying a garbage bag and walking into a business.
Just before, he drops the bag and appears to pull out a gun.
Minutes later, the man is seen pulling Jasdeep Singh and Amandeep Singh out of the back with their hands tied.
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They got into Amandeep Singh's black Dodge van and left at 9:13 am (local time).
The vehicle returned to the business at 9:19 and the suspect pulled Jasleen Kaur, who was carrying his baby, out the back door to get them into a van and drive away.
"As of this moment we no longer see any of the four victims on the video, or the vehicle or the suspect," police said.
Salgado's capture came after one of the victims' ATM cards was used at an Atwater gas station early Tuesday, the sheriff said.
The ATM is three miles from where the family was kidnapped.