JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville man is facing felony charges after detectives say he kidnapped a child under 13, stole a vehicle, and left the child unattended on a city street.
According to his arrest report, the 44-year-old man was taken into custody Friday, April 24, after Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detectives located him driving a black 2016 Chrysler 200 near the intersection of Pearl Street and Water Street.
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What led to the arrest
The incident that triggered the investigation occurred Sunday, April 19. According to the warrant affidavit, a woman reported to dispatch that the suspect had taken a child — described as being under 13 years old — in a Chrysler 300 and left her behind at a church on Lane Ave.
Witnesses in the church parking lot told law enforcement that the suspect may have changed clothing after the incident. According to the affidavit, a witness was in the church parking lot when a vehicle quickly pulled in and parked.
“I need him out of my car,” the woman reportedly yelled to the witness before the suspect exited the front passenger seat and left with the child and vehicle.
The affidavit states the woman told investigators she had not given the suspect permission to operate her vehicle or be alone with the child at any time. She also told investigators the suspect had a history of drug use — specifically cocaine — and had been violent toward her in the past.
Child found safe; search for suspect
About 40 minutes after the initial report, at approximately 11:49 a.m., a man identified called JSO to report a child roaming near W. 9th St. with no parent in sight. Officers responded, recovered the child, and confirmed the child was the missing victim.
According to the affidavit, the witness said he observed the child attempting to get inside a black Chrysler near that address. He knocked on doors in the neighborhood trying to locate the child’s parents before leaving the child with a woman on W. 10th St.
Police say the black Chrysler 300 was recovered abandoned in front of an address on W. 9th St. — a residence belonging to the suspect’s brother. The brother cooperated with investigators and provided a statement.
Warrant issued, suspect arrested days later
Arrest warrants were issued April 22, 2026, and returned April 24, 2026. That same day, JSO’s Community Problem Response Unit was deployed in District 1 as part of a violence reduction strategy, with detectives actively searching for the suspect.
Detectives located the suspect at the intersection of Pearl Street and Water Street and took him into custody.
The suspect faces three felony charges: kidnapping of a child under 13 without consent (first-degree felony), grand theft auto (third-degree felony) and child neglect (third-degree felony). He was booked into the Pretrial Detention Facility at 9:04 p.m. and is being held on a combined bond of $450,006.