NEED TO KNOW
-
A father in Texas tracked down his kidnapped 15-year-old daughter by using her phone’s location via parental controls, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
-
Police said “the suspect had threatened the victim with a knife and abducted her from the street”
-
Giovanni Rosales Espinoza, 23, was arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child
A kidnapped teen was saved thanks to her father’s quick thinking.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) shared on Facebook that deputies responded to a report of a “kidnapping of a 15-year-old female” in Porter, Texas, at around 4:50 p.m. on Dec. 25.
Investigators learned that the teenager “had taken her dog out for a walk and when she did not return at her usual time,” her parents grew concerned. Her father then used parental controls in order to locate his daughter’s phone, which had pinged in a “partially wooded area in Harris County nearly 2 miles away.”
The father was able to locate his daughter through the phone and found her and the dog inside of a “maroon-colored pickup truck” with a “partially nude 23-year-old male,” per MCSO. He then helped his daughter escape from the truck and contacted law enforcement.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
Giovanni Rosales Espinoza
“Investigations revealed that the suspect had threatened the victim with a knife and abducted her from the street,” the MCSO said.
People who witnessed the incident gave a detailed description of the truck, which helped deputies locate and identify the suspect in the incident. MCSO identified the suspect as 23-year-old Giovanni Rosales Espinoza of Porter.
Detectives with the MCSO major crimes unit responded to the scene.
Espinosa was arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child, the MCSO noted. As of Dec. 26, he remained in custody at the Montgomery County Jail with no bond.
“Christmas is a day meant for joy, but this man chose to shatter that joy by targeting a child,” said Sheriff Wesley Doolittle in a statement. “I am incredibly proud of our deputies and detectives who worked tirelessly to ensure this dangerous predator was swiftly apprehended and is now off our streets.”
“Rest assured that your Sheriff’s Office remains vigilant every hour of every day to keep your families safe,” he added.
The family of the kidnapped teen, who requested to remain anonymous, told KHOU11 that they were thankful that the teen was safe and back at home recovering. They also noted that none of the family members knew the suspect.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The incident is still under investigation, the MCSO said.
Read the original article on People
