Calif. mother who was kidnapped and forced to rob a bank falsely painted as a criminal in court
CBSN
This story originally aired on Feb. 11, 2023. It was updated on May 24, 2025. FBI VIDEO OF MICHELLE RENEE AT CRIME SCENE: "We're going to be here all night with you to make sure you know exactly what you're going to do or you will die." FBI VIDEO OF MICHELLE RENEE AT CRIME SCENE: "We're going to go over this again. This is what you're going to do … When Brinks gets there, you're going to get Brinks' money." FBI VIDEO OF MICHELLE RENEE AT CRIME SCENE: And they put the gun right here in her face, right up her nose, and said, "don't make us f***ing use this." … I pushed the guy's hand out of her face and said, "don't do this, don't hurt her." And he just pointed it right at me and said, "don't ever f***ing touch me again …" MICHELLE RENEE VIDEO WALKTHROUGH: It was almost morning. … I just rubbed her hair so she could try to get some sleep. FBI VIDEO OF MICHELLE RENEE AT CRIME SCENE: I got dressed and started doing my hair when he came in and stopped me and said, "we need to put the dynamite on you now." FBI VIDEO OF MICHELLE RENEE AT CRIME SCENE:: "One false move, I push this button." … FBI VIDEO OF MICHELLE RENEE AT CRIME SCENE: I was just telling her I'd be right back, that everything is going to be fine. FBI VIDEO OF MICHELLE RENEE AT CRIME SCENE: When I turned the light on to go to the bathroom … and I saw his eyes in there… I said "those eyes were at my desk; those eyes were at my desk today. Oh my God." FBI VIDEO OF MICHELLE RENEE AT CRIME SCENE: And then they — I had to put her in there and they just shut the — shut the closet.
The only monsters that had ever scared Michelle Renee's 7-year-old daughter Breea were make-believe. But on Nov. 20, 2000, just a day before three masked men broke in …
Michelle Renee: She calls me. 'Mom, there's somebody outside the window' … I looked out there. I didn't see anything. I didn't see anybody. … So, I just brushed it off.
