A man has been arrested after allegedly attempting to kidnap a 6-year-old girl at a Miami apartment complex. The brave young girl managed to defend herself.
The suspect, 32-year-old Leonardo Venegas, was taken into custody on Saturday. He is facing charges of kidnapping and child abuse causing no significant bodily harm.
The incident unfolded on Thursday at an apartment complex located on the 6500 block of Northeast 2nd Avenue. According to the arrest report, the victim was playing with her siblings in the apartment complex courtyard when they noticed a white Range Rover parking near their unit.
While the other children went inside, the 6-year-old girl stayed on a stairway. Shortly thereafter, she recounted being unexpectedly grabbed by Venegas, who proceeded to pull her arm. She resisted, managing to break free momentarily, but he then lifted her up and attempted to carry her away.
At that moment, she bit Venegas on the arm, causing him to drop her. The report states that Venegas retaliated by slapping the girl before fleeing the scene.
The courageous young girl shared with NBC6 on Monday, “I bit him.”
Surveillance footage captured the Range Rover’s arrival at the complex, with a man exiting the vehicle and approaching the stairway. The footage further revealed the suspect running away shortly thereafter.
Thanks to a license plate reader, the authorities were able to obtain the vehicle’s tag number, leading to the identification of Venegas. He was apprehended on Saturday in North Miami. The report notes that Venegas claimed to be searching for houses to purchase in the area, but the complex is designated as HUD housing.
During questioning, Venegas initially mentioned running away upon hearing someone scream. However, when asked about his interaction with the girl, he requested legal representation.
Venegas has been booked into jail, where he is currently held without bond as of Monday.
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