A 28-year-old Colorado man was charged with second-degree kidnapping on Thursday after allegedly attempting to abduct a 10-year-old girl outside her school. According to People, Diego James Gettler was immediately taken into custody Monday after his parents went to the Thornton police station and reported that they recognized the suspect and the vehicle used in surveillance photos.
According to the authorities, they received an incident report when they were called to the STEM Launch School in Thornton at around 7:30 a.m. on September 23. The little girl told the police that she was dropped off at school that morning by her mom and was sitting on some nearby steps when suddenly a man approached and asked her if she attended school. The young girl, who was not named, thought the stranger walked behind her and up the stairs but when she looked, the man walked back towards her.
An arrest affidavit obtained by the news outlet stated that the adult made the young girl uncomfortable, so she stood up as he walked back down the stairs. However, the man suddenly grabbed her, which she described as him wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.
Authorities released surveillance footage to the public
The adult man covered her mouth with his hands when the girl started screaming. The little girl told detectives that she began grabbing at the male and was able to pull down the mask he was wearing. The man looked terrified and panicked as his face was shown, then he ran away on foot.
The local authorities found a surveillance video that showed Gettler parking a gray Saturn Aura, walking towards the school, and trying to abduct the girl.
The affidavit further stated the man ran off and quickly climbed into the passenger side of his vehicle; then, the car drove off. The Thornton police station released surveillance footage to the public of the suspect that same day. The video showed a man wearing a black sweatshirt with "three blue and orange" Adidas symbols on the back of his hooded sweatshirt. He was also wearing black pants and shoes. Authorities also released photos of the vehicle, which had damage to its driver's side.
Gettler's parents went to the police station on September 26, spoke to a detective, and identified their son as possibly involved as they recognized him based on released surveillance. The vehicle also matched the characteristics of the suspect's vehicle, New York Post reported.
Preventing abductions of children
His parents revealed that Diego owns and operates a gray Saturn Aura with the same damage on the driver's side. They also confirmed that their son had to enter the car from the passenger side. The suspect was later arrested in his vehicle outside a Home Depot in Parker on September 26. He has been booked into the Adams County Jail, and his hearing was set on October 5.
Investigations suggest teaching children to keep their eyes and ears open and to scream as much as possible or give kids a whistle to blow to attract others' attention and prevent an abduction.
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