Sacramento, California – A Sacramento man was arrested after leaving his granddaughter with a stranger for several hours while he enjoyed alcoholic drinks at a bar, as reported by local authorities.
Sacramento County deputies responded to an emergency call around 7:45 p.m., arriving at the parking lot of a bar located in the 5300 block of Auburn Boulevard. A passerby alerted authorities to a possible kidnapping.
The informant detailed that an individual, later identified as 54-year-old Jason Warren, was seeking help to find his 7-year-old granddaughter, whom he feared had been kidnapped for human trafficking purposes, according to the sheriff’s official statement.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies noticed that Warren appeared to be intoxicated.
Warren explained to authorities that he had previously handed $20 to a homeless woman, whom he did not know, to take his granddaughter to a nearby thrift store while he was absent at the bar.
Sheriff’s deputies obtained surveillance footage showing the woman leaving the area with the child.
After an intensive search, the woman returned to the parking lot with the child after hearing announcements broadcasted from a helicopter belonging to the agency.
The woman told authorities that Warren had paid her to take the child to the thrift store.
Furthermore, she claimed that Warren was intoxicated and she did not consider it safe to leave the child in his care. Instead, she took her to her campsite to provide her with food.
After verifying the account with the child, deputies confirmed the incident.
Fortunately, the child was not in danger and underwent a medical evaluation by Fire Department personnel as a precautionary measure.
Further investigation revealed that the child’s aunt had full custody but had entrusted Warren with caring for her niece while she was at work.
Following Child Protective Services guidelines, the child was authorized to return to her aunt’s home. Meanwhile, Warren was arrested on charges of endangering a child and other serious offenses.
