Suspect in custody after allegedly kidnapping child he met on social media, police say
A male suspect was taken into custody after he allegedly kidnapped a 12-year-old girl he met on social media and led police on a chase.
On Sunday, Nov. 17, police in Bountiful, Utah, were dispatched to a child abduction where the family of the victim told investigators that a Hispanic male fled with the child in a 2011 White Chevrolet Camaro.
The victim had gone outside for a prolonged period and the family went to check on her and found her inside the suspect’s vehicle before he fled the scene, according to a KUTV report.
The car had no visible license plate, a black hood and an Instagram handle sticker on the back fin of the car.
Police were able to find the suspect’s car which turned into a chase, according to a Bountiful Police Department news release.
The pursuit reached "high speeds" before the suspect crashed into the back of a police cruiser.
The suspect, who was only identified as a juvenile male, was taken into custody without incident and police also seized a Glock 17 handgun which was found on the driver’s side floorboard.
The juvenile male was booked into the Farmington Bay Youth Detention Center on several charges.
The victim was checked at a local hospital and did not sustain any injuries from the accident. The officer who was inside the police cruiser that was involved in the crash did not sustain any life-threatening injuries and was also taken to a local hospital.
FILE - A child looks an an iPhone screen which shows various social media platforms (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
The 12-year-old and juvenile male began speaking through Instagram for just one week before deciding to meet in person, police told FOX TV Stations.
Social media is a double-edged sword
While social media can be a place to find like-minded friends and make connections across the world, it can also be a very dangerous place.
Some of the dangerous content that kids and teens can be exposed to on these platforms include depictions of anorexia "thinspiration," drug culture, predatory grooming, and more.
The dangers of social media have become so pronounced that Congress passed the Kids Online Safety Act in July which aims to protect kids from the harmful effects of social media, gaming and other online platforms.
"Keep an eye on your kids' social media," Lt. Andrew Smith with the Bountiful Police Department told FOX. Smith doesn't encourage parents to become "big brothers" and helicopter your kids, but to make sure to have meaningful and open conversations with them about the perils of navigating social media.
And for the kids, Smith advised that not all is as it seems.
"Just because you believe you're talking to someone who has identified themselves as a juvenile, doesn't mean that it's actually a juvenile," Smith added.