Suspect in custody after suspected kidnapping of child he met on social media, police say

After him, a male suspect was arrested probably kidnapped a 12 year old girl he met social media and led the police on a chase.

On Sunday, November 17, police in Bountiful, Utah, were dispatched to a child abduction, with the victim’s family telling investigators that a Hispanic man fled with the child in a white 2011 Chevrolet Camaro.

The victim had gone outside for a long time and the family went to check on her and found her in the suspect’s car before he fled the scene, a police spokesman said. KUTV report.

The car had no visible license plate, a black hood and a social media handle sticker on the rear fin of the car.

The police were able to find the suspect’s car, after which a chase ensued Abundant police press release.

The chase reached “high speeds” before the suspect crashed into the back of a police cruiser.

The suspect, identified only as a young man, was taken into custody without incident and police also seized a Glock 17 handgun that was found on the driver’s side floorboard.

The young man was booked into the Farmington Bay Youth Detention Center on several charges.

The victim was examined at a local hospital and did not sustain any injuries as a result of the accident. The officer in the police car involved in the crash did not suffer life-threatening injuries and was also taken to a local hospital.

Social media is a double-edged sword

While social media can be a place where you can find like-minded friends and make connections around the world, it can also be a very dangerous place.

Some of the dangerous content that children and teens can be exposed to on these platforms includes images of anorexia “thinspiration,” drug culture, predatory grooming, and more.

The dangers of social media have become so great Congress passed the Kids Online Safety Act in July, which aims to protect children from the harmful effects of social media, gaming and other online platforms.

“Monitor your child’s social media,” Lt. Andrew Smith of the Bountiful Police Department told KUTV. “You should have passwords, etc. for all of your child’s social media accounts so you can actually see what they’re doing, who they’re communicating with. And then have the conversation with them.”

“Just because you think you’re talking to someone who has identified themselves as a minor doesn’t mean they are actually a minor,” Smith added.