MIAMI, FL - Surveillance footage shows the moments a six-year-old boy was lured by a kidnapping suspect in a northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood over the holiday weekend.
According to NBC Miami, the incident happened during the afternoon on Saturday, December 28th near the 1300 block of Northwest 79th Street. Surveillance footage from a nearby home shows 56-year-old Jose Reynaldo Martinez Reyes approaching the young boy. Martinez Reyes had no ID and would not talk to the police about the incident. CBS News identified him as "a Hialeah man," but his immigration status is unknown at this time.
The boy, identified as Jake Rivera, said, "They guy came over to me and said, 'Do you wanna come with me?' And I said sure."
The boy's cousin, Alfredo Velasquez said, "He just came in and started playing with him and after that, he just lured him in." The boy had been playing soccer with his older brother in the front yard of their home when the older brother went inside to use the restroom and Martinez Reyes approached the six-year-old.
Police said he was able to lure the boy away from the home by promising to buy him a toy and the two left the area on foot. When the older brother realized his younger brother was missing, he and an adult family friend began a frantic search for him. Velasquez said, "I was sleeping and my cousin woke me up and said my little cousin was abducted by a man."
Thankfully, they were able to find the little boy just over a mile away on 24th Avenue. Velasquez said, "His older brother came in, pushed him and punched him just to get his brother back, put him in the car."
According to the New York Post, the suspect has no connection to the boy. Andre Martin, a spokesperson with the Miami-Dade Police Department said, "We have no idea at this point what the subject's intention was with a six-year-old boy, but as one can imagine, it probably was not anything good."
Martinez Reyes was arrested and has been charged with one count each of kidnapping and interference with custody.
Family members said that the little boy is still shaken and is too kind for his own good. Velasquez said, "He doesn't care who you are. If you are nice with him, he will be nice to you and that was always my fear. It just takes one second or one moment for just anybody to just grab your kid and leave."
In a separate incident, a man wanted on kidnapping charges out of New York who eluded police in a pursuit on Christmas day is now in the Wake County Jail. According to CBS17, the Garner Police Department (GPD) said that 25-year-old Daveaun Whittle had been arrested by the Wake County Sheriff's Office (WCSO).
Whittle appeared at the county jail where he turned himself in. At the jail, a deputy served him with the outstanding warrants from both New York and Garner. His arrest records show that he is facing charges of: hit/run, leaving scene and inflicting property damage; felony flee to elude arrest with a motor vehicle; and second degree kidnapping by a fugitive with criminal obstruction, criminal mischief out of Rockland County, New York.
According to NBC Miami, the incident happened during the afternoon on Saturday, December 28th near the 1300 block of Northwest 79th Street. Surveillance footage from a nearby home shows 56-year-old Jose Reynaldo Martinez Reyes approaching the young boy. Martinez Reyes had no ID and would not talk to the police about the incident. CBS News identified him as "a Hialeah man," but his immigration status is unknown at this time.
The boy, identified as Jake Rivera, said, "They guy came over to me and said, 'Do you wanna come with me?' And I said sure."
The boy's cousin, Alfredo Velasquez said, "He just came in and started playing with him and after that, he just lured him in." The boy had been playing soccer with his older brother in the front yard of their home when the older brother went inside to use the restroom and Martinez Reyes approached the six-year-old.
Police said he was able to lure the boy away from the home by promising to buy him a toy and the two left the area on foot. When the older brother realized his younger brother was missing, he and an adult family friend began a frantic search for him. Velasquez said, "I was sleeping and my cousin woke me up and said my little cousin was abducted by a man."
Thankfully, they were able to find the little boy just over a mile away on 24th Avenue. Velasquez said, "His older brother came in, pushed him and punched him just to get his brother back, put him in the car."
According to the New York Post, the suspect has no connection to the boy. Andre Martin, a spokesperson with the Miami-Dade Police Department said, "We have no idea at this point what the subject's intention was with a six-year-old boy, but as one can imagine, it probably was not anything good."
Martinez Reyes was arrested and has been charged with one count each of kidnapping and interference with custody.
Family members said that the little boy is still shaken and is too kind for his own good. Velasquez said, "He doesn't care who you are. If you are nice with him, he will be nice to you and that was always my fear. It just takes one second or one moment for just anybody to just grab your kid and leave."
In a separate incident, a man wanted on kidnapping charges out of New York who eluded police in a pursuit on Christmas day is now in the Wake County Jail. According to CBS17, the Garner Police Department (GPD) said that 25-year-old Daveaun Whittle had been arrested by the Wake County Sheriff's Office (WCSO).
Whittle appeared at the county jail where he turned himself in. At the jail, a deputy served him with the outstanding warrants from both New York and Garner. His arrest records show that he is facing charges of: hit/run, leaving scene and inflicting property damage; felony flee to elude arrest with a motor vehicle; and second degree kidnapping by a fugitive with criminal obstruction, criminal mischief out of Rockland County, New York.
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