Michelle Renee, California mother who was kidnapped and forced to rob a bank, falsely painted as a criminal in court

This story originally aired on Feb. 11, 2023, and was updated on May 24, 2025.

On November 20, 2000, Michelle Renee’s life turned into a nightmare when three masked men broke into her home, holding her and her 7-year-old daughter Breea at gunpoint. The intruders, who had been stalking Michelle, coerced her into robbing her bank while threatening her daughter’s life with a fake dynamite device. As Michelle prepared to carry out the robbery, she was filled with dread, fearing it might be the last time she saw her daughter, who bravely urged her to be strong.