Deputies with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office have arrested a man for kidnapping after an investigation revealed he forcefully took a young child and attempted to flee.
On Sunday, Aug., 25, around 2:45 p.m., deputies responded to Goodwill, at 3229 W. Blue Ridge Drive, in Greenville, after receiving a report of an attempted abduction. After arriving on scene, deputies were quickly able to take the suspect, Jose Jesus Navarrette, 56, into custody.
Deputies learned that before receiving the 911 call, the child’s grandmother was walking with the victim and her other grandchildren on the sidewalk, near Goodwill, when she bent down to help one of the children with their shoe. As the grandmother looked up, she saw Navarrette grabbing one of her granddaughters and then picked the child up before walking off with her.
The grandmother quickly approached Navarrette and was able to pull her grandchild back into her arms and then pushed the suspect away before taking all of the children inside Goodwill to get away from him. After noticing the suspect was following them, the grandmother entered Goodwill and called for help.
As the grandmother proceeded to walk behind the counter to get away Navarrette, she noticed he was still following her and actually went towards her, behind the counter, according to the report. She was soon able to get assistance from a store employee and another customer and 911 was called.
Navarrette was arrested and charged with kidnapping. He remains in the Greenville County Detention Center on no bond.