MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A Hialeah man kidnapped a 6-year-old boy who was playing soccer outside his northwest Miami-Dade home over the weekend, leading to a confrontation with the child’s older brother more than a mile away, according to police.
Authorities said 56-year-old Jose Reynaldo Martinez-Reyes, a stranger with no connection to the boy or the trailer park where he lives in the 1300 block of Northwest 79th Street, befriended the child while playing soccer and lured him away with an offer to buy a toy.
6 p.m. report:
After walking with the boy to a Family Dollar store at 2151 NW 79th St. in the Gladeview area, Martinez-Reyes claimed he had no money and continued to lead the child further west by holding his hand, according to an arrest report.
Alfredo Velasquez, the uncle of 6-year-old Jake, said “He doesn’t care who you are. If you are nice with him he will be nice to you and that was always my fear. Jake is a friendly kid towards anybody and that was always my fear.”
Family members said the abduction happened after Jake’s 15-year-old brother briefly stepped inside to use the bathroom.
His brother and a family friend found Martinez-Reyes walking with the boy along Northwest 79th Street and 24th Avenue after a frantic search, the report stated.
The teen told Local 10 News he was “scared” for his younger brother.
“I was just looking around,” the victim’s brother said.
Miami-Dade police said when Martinez-Reyes was confronted, he claimed in Spanish that the boy was his son and tried to pull him away from his brother.
A brief struggle ensued before the teenager freed the boy and told him to hide in a vehicle. The older brother and the family friend detained the man until police arrived, according to investigators.
“I just got him back, put him in the car, and called 911,” the boy’s brother said.
Police said Martinez-Reyes, who carried no identification and refused to make a statement about the incident after being questioned, was arrested and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Jail records show Martinez-Reyes is facing one count each of kidnapping and interference with custody.
As of Monday, he remains at TGK, where his bond was listed as “to be set.”
Family members said Jake was OK, but was still shaken up Monday.