A Christmas afternoon dog walk turned into a terrifying ordeal for a family in Texas, leading a father to track down his missing child by tracing her phone.
Rather than waiting, the child’s father used parental control software to trace his daughter’s phone. The tracking data led him away from their neighborhood and across county lines into a remote section of Harris County, nearly two miles from where she had been walking.
After arriving at the location indicated by the phone’s signal, the father found a secluded, partially wooded area, where he spotted a maroon-colored pickup truck.
Deputies said the father approached the vehicle and found his daughter and her dog inside. He also found a 23-year-old male suspect inside the vehicle, who was partially nude. He was able to help his daughter escape the vehicle and immediately called police for help.
Patrol deputies arrived on the scene at 4:50 p.m., and detectives with the Major Crimes Unit investigated.
Police learned that the suspect had snatched the girl directly from the street and had threatened the teenager with a knife to force her into his vehicle.
Witnesses near where she was abducted said they had seen the suspect’s truck, which helped law enforcement track down the driver. Deputies located the vehicle and identified the driver as Giovanni Rosales Espinoza, a 23-year-old resident of Porter.
Espinoza was taken into custody without incident. He has been charged with two crimes: aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child. Espinoza remains held at the Montgomery County Jail with no bond set.
Sheriff Wesley Doolittle praised the work of the investigators.
“Christmas is a day meant for joy, but this man chose to shatter that joy by targeting a child,” Doolittle stated in the release. “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.”
The Sheriff’s Office noted that the investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are being released at this time to protect the integrity of the case.
Authorities are asking the public for assistance. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 936-760-5876 and reference case number 25A410316. Tipsters can also remain anonymous by calling Multi-County Crime Stoppers at 800-392-7867.
