I just need to let this leave my fingers.
EVERYTHING about his story is nonsense.
Giving the approximate year of the truck - storybuilding. He's making carp up to add credibility.
One of the men saying Meleah 'looked very nice and sweet' - storybuilding. And BAD story building at that. No doubt young girls are targeted by creeps, but 3 of them at once, one of who makes an announcement about her looks? Please. That's not how any of this works. This type of detail sticks out like a sore thumb.
THREE. Don't even get me started on THREE and lying liars who lie. But 'three' shows up in lies all the dang time.
Let's put ourselves in the shoes of these three creepy predatory Mexicans for a few. They want to steal this grown man and children. Because... of reasons. How to subdue the grown man? Punch him in the face? Nah. Hit him on the back of the head with a heavy object? Meh. Punch him or strike him square in the middle of his forehead? YES. Yes, that's how to do it! GMAB.
He then wakes up crammed into the truck with the kids and the mean men. And promptly passes back out. That's how we know they were taken somewhere. Ok.
THEN he wakes up approximately 24 hours later, without Meleah, but nestled up with his 2 year old son. Who was apparently content to just chill with his unconscious father. For a day. Which sounds just like a toddler to me.
Our brave hero gathers his son and seeks help! Who will help him? NO ONE WILL HELP HIM. Apparently not even to call 911 on his behalf as they pass him on the road. He has no where to go to stop and ask for help, except for all the stores around. His only choice is to walk to the hospital, where he receives treatment for the major head trauma that caused him to lose 24 hours of his life, PRIOR to calling someone else to let them know about Meleah.
AND - his misfortune was also such that the car with the flat tire was stolen as well. But fortunately it was on camera when he was off being unconscious somewhere, so it definitely certainly wasn't him in the car.
I don't think I have ever heard a worse cover story.