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SALT LAKE CITY — Detectives with the Unified Police Department made an arrest Wednesday in the kidnapping of a 13-year-old Herriman girl who disappeared last week then turned up safe.
Late Wednesday night, Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder announced the arrest of Angel Vizuet Garcia, 55, of Draper.
Winder said the man was arrested at around 7:30 p.m. on separate counts of child kidnapping, harboring a runaway, obstructing justice and endangering a child.
After two days of searching by more than 1,000 emergency responders, community activists and volunteers, Brooklyn Gittins was found alive and well.
The girl had disappeared on Jan. 8 from her house at 13912 S. Friendship Drive (5755 West). Detectives believed she climbed out her bedroom window.
Late on the evening of Jan. 10, Brooklyn called her family to say she was at Wal-Mart, 11328 S. Jordan Gateway (400 West), South Jordan. But she "refused to answer questions" about where she was, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report.
On Wednesday, Brooklyn's mother called detectives to say her daughter was ready to talk, jail documents stated.
On Jan. 8, Brooklyn called Garcia on a cell phone that Garcia had provided her, according to jail records.
"He came from his home in Draper to give her a ride to his residence," booking documents stated.
An investigation indicates Brooklyn knew Garcia through common friends prior to the disappearance and "significant" premeditation went into the kidnapping, Winder said. He did not indicate what kind of common friends the 13-year-old girl and 55-year-old man had. Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal noted, however, that Brooklyn's family knew of Garcia prior to his arrest.
It is a complex case ... It does have repercussions for all of us in this day and age about how our children communicate with and interact with adults given the nature of our society.
–Sheriff Jim Winder, Salt Lake County
Whether Brooklyn stayed with Garcia willingly is irrelevant, Winder said. Because of the girl's age, she was a victim.
"It's outrageous and it's shocking to our community and certainly to the family," he said.
The nature of the kidnapping is a "scary situation," serving as a warning to families, Winder said.
"It is a complex case, and it's a case I think the community will want to pay attention to," he said. "It does have repercussions for all of us in this day and age about how our children communicate with and interact with adults given the nature of our society."
The case has now been turned over to the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office to determine if formal charges will be filed against Garcia.
As of Tuesday, Brooklyn had not returned to school. Both her grandfather and Unified police are declining to talk about what Brooklyn may have said about what happened to her or where she may have been for 2½ days.
"The investigation is still going forward. It will go forward as necessary to maintain Brooklyn's status and self-worth," grandfather Craig Hiller said.
Winder said last week that Brooklyn was physically OK, even though she wasn't wearing shoes, a coat or her glasses.
Hiller described his granddaughter's demeanor over the weekend.
"She's OK. Gave her a big hug. Very subdued. And I'm sure just trying to figure out what to do, being a 13-year-old girl," he said. "She's just kinda keeping to herself at this time."
Contributing: Jordan Ormond and McKenzie Romero
