Family Of Ecuadorian Soccer Player Rescued After Being Kidnapped

The family of Ecuadorian soccer player Jackson Rodriguez was rescued after being kidnapped from their home in the coastal city of Guayaquil, police authorities reported on Friday.

Rodriguez, 26, hid under his bed while his 24-year-old wife and five-year-old son were taken on Wednesday by four "hooded and heavily armed individuals" who forced their way into the home in the Mucho Lote neighborhood.

The wife and son received medical attention following their release and were safe, police commander Pablo Davila said.

The kidnappers demanded 500,000 for the release of the wife and son but the family refused to pay, Davila added. Rodriguez is a left back who plays for first division club Emelec.

After police operations late Thursday, officers located the pair in the popular neighborhood of "El Fortin" in the northwest part of the city. The area is considered one of the most dangerous, a place where 22 people were massacred in March.