US man uses phone’s parental controls to track, rescue daughter kidnapped at knifepoint | World News
The 15-year-old girl had taken her dog out for a walk in the Houston suburb of Porter on Thursday, when she was abducted. (Photo: Unsplash)
A man from the US state of Texas used his phone’s parental controls tools to track down and rescue his teenage daughter, who was kidnapped on Christmas Day, authorities said.
The 15-year-old girl had taken her dog out for a walk in the Houston suburb of Porter on Thursday, when she was abducted.
According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, her parents became concerned after she did not return at her usual time.
Father tracks down missing daughter with phone
The girl’s father, using parental controls, located her phone some 3 kms away and travelled to a secluded, partially wooded area in Harris County.
The girl’s father, using parental controls, located her phone some 3 kms away. (Photo: Unsplash)
Upon reaching the spot, the father located the victim and her dog inside a maroon-coloured pickup truck with a partially nude 23-year-old male. The father helped his daughter escape from the truck and contacted law enforcement.
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The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said the suspect, identified as Giovanni Rosales Espinoza, had threatened the victim with a knife and abducted her from the street.
Suspect arrested
Based on witness testimonies and a detailed description of the suspect vehicle, deputies were able to successfully locate Espinoza, who was taken into custody without incident.
Espinoza has been charged with Aggravated Kidnapping and Indecency with a Child and remains in 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. 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,” Sheriff Wesley Doolittle said in a statement.
