Samuel and his brother Oscar grew up in El Salvador. Their mother went to the United States on a work visa, leaving them in the care of an aunt. Their mother sent money back home to support her children, and remained in touch with them through the telephone and the internet. On August 18, 2008, the boys' aunt contacted their mother and said they'd disappeared and she thought they had run away. The aunt reported their disappearances to the police in El Salvador, but an investigation uncovered no clues as to what had hapened to them.

Oscar and Samuel's family had no information as to their whereabouts until January 7, 2009, when their mother got a ransom call from an unidentified man. The man said he had transported Oscar and Samuel from Mexico into the United States illegally, and he demanded payment for his services. He continued to call her several times over the next few days, demanding money. On January 9, Oscar and Samuel's mother wired large sums of money to this individual, then asked to speak to her sons. The caller became agitated, said the deal was off, and hung up. He never contacted the boys' mother again.

Authorities believe Oscar and Samuel arranged for someone to transport them to the United States so they could reunite with their mother, who lived in Green Brook, New Jersey. It's unclear whether they actually made it to the U.S. or even to Mexico. If they did arrive in the U.S., they may be in New York, California or Florida. Both boys left their passports and birth certificates behind, but they may have their school identification cards. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case. It is classified as a non-family abduction.