At a Glance
- A 15-year-old girl was kidnapped on Christmas Day in Porter, Texas.
- Her father used phone parental controls to locate her in a pickup truck with a 23-year-old man.
- The suspect, Giovanni Rosales Espinoza, was arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child.
Why it matters: The case shows how parental controls can help prevent and solve abductions.
A father in Houston used his daughter’s phone controls to track her location on Christmas, leading to her rescue and the arrest of a 23-year-old kidnapper.
The Kidnapping
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reported that a 15-year-old girl was missing after her parents said she took her dog for a walk but did not return. Her father tracked her phone via parental controls, locating her about two miles from Porter in a partially wooded area. He found her and her dog inside a maroon pickup truck with a partially nude 23-year-old man. The father helped his daughter escape and called law enforcement.
The Arrest
The suspect, Giovanni Rosales Espinoza, was taken into custody without incident and charged with aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child. Authorities say he threatened the girl with a knife and abducted her off the street. He remains in the Montgomery County Jail with no bond.
*Montgomery County Sheriff Wesley Doolittle* said:
> “Christmas is a day meant for joy, but this man chose to shatter that joy by targeting a child,”
He added:
> “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.”
He also said:
> “Rest assured that your Sheriff’s Office remains vigilant every hour of every day to keep your families safe.”
Key Takeaways
- A father’s use of phone parental controls helped locate his kidnapped daughter.
- The 23-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with serious offenses.
- The incident highlights the importance of parental controls and quick law-enforcement response.
The case underscores the power of technology in protecting families and the swift action of local deputies to bring a dangerous predator to justice.
