Ecuador: Footballer’s wife and child rescued after he hid during kidnap

A footballer in Ecuador has been reunited with his wife and child after they were kidnapped from the family home while he hid under the bed.

Jackson Rodriguez, who plays for the Emelec club, was at home in the coastal city of Guayaqui last Wednesday when the kidnappers struck at 3am, the Associated Press reported.

Police chief Edison Rodriguez said the pro footballer told police that he hid under a bed when he heard the door being broken down.

Emelec player Jackson Rodriguez. Photo / Getty Images

The kidnappers asked his wife where he was, then snatched her and the couple’s 5-year-old son after ransacking the home and stealing valuables.

Rodriguez made a plea for his family’s freedom and his prayers were answered when armed police later rescued his wife and child from a derelict building.

Video shared on social media by police showed the dramatic rescue, with the police saying the kidnappers were seeking a large ransom for the pair.

Local media are reporting that the police are now providing protection for the family.

The kidnapping came as multiple areas of Ecuador were put under a state of emergency to battle organised crime groups that authorities blame for escalating violence in the South American nation.

Kidnapping is not unusual in Ecuador. In December 2024, another pro footballer, Pedro Perlaza, was kidnapped before being released alive.