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Christopher Garza, 28 (Source: Williamson County, TX Sheriff’s Office)
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas – Bystanders at a Williamson County park intervened to stop an attempted kidnapping of a young girl on Saturday afternoon, according to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.
Attempted kidnapping stopped by bystanders
The backstory:
Deputies responded to a 911 call at Berry Springs Park, located just outside the Georgetown city limits, at around 1:30 p.m. When law enforcement arrived, they found 28-year-old Christopher Garza being restrained by several witnesses.
According to investigators, the witnesses reported seeing Garza trying to kidnap a juvenile female. The girl’s age was not disclosed.
Garza was taken into custody and then to a local hospital for treatment of injuries sustained before deputies arrived at the scene.
What they’re saying:
Sheriff Matt Lindemann praised the actions of the park-goers in a statement released following the arrest.
“I would like to commend and thank the citizens who intervened and acted swiftly to protect a child from harm,” Lindemann said. “While incidents like this are rare in Williamson County, it is truly a blessing that the citizens in the park responded quickly and decisively to ensure a child’s safety.”
Authorities stated they believe the attempted kidnapping was an isolated incident and that there is no ongoing threat to the community.
What’s next:
Garza has been charged with attempted kidnapping and failure to identify by giving false or fictitious information. A judge set bond at $100,000 for the kidnapping charge and $3,000 for the failure to identify charge.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information regarding the case to contact their tip line at 512-943-1311 or Williamson County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-253-7867.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.