A Texas father used his phone’s parental controls to locate his teenage daughter after she was allegedly kidnapped on Christmas Day, leading authorities to the arrest of a 23-year-old man now facing multiple felony charges, officials said.
According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the 15-year-old girl was reported missing Thursday afternoon from the Houston-area suburb of Porter after her parents said she went out to walk her dog and did not return. As deputies searched for her, the girl’s father used the phone’s tracking features to pinpoint her location.

The tracking led him to a secluded, partially wooded area in neighboring Harris County, about two miles from Porter. Authorities said the father found his daughter and her dog inside a maroon pickup truck with a partially nude adult male. He was able to help his daughter escape and immediately contacted law enforcement.

Deputies arrested Giovanni Rosales Espinoza, 23, without incident. He has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators allege Espinoza threatened the girl with a knife and abducted her from the street.
Espinoza remains in the Montgomery County Jail with no bond set, authorities said. It was not immediately known whether he has legal representation.

In a statement, Sheriff Wesley Doolittle condemned the crime and praised the swift response that led to the rescue.
“Christmas is a day meant for joy, but this man chose to shatter that joy by targeting a child,” Doolittle said. “I am incredibly proud of our deputies and detectives who worked tirelessly to ensure this dangerous predator was swiftly apprehended and is now off our streets.”
He added that the sheriff’s office remains committed to protecting families around the clock.

Authorities did not release the names of the father or the teenage victim.

Credit: NBC News