PALMDALE – A 19-year-old Palmdale man is in jail for allegedly assaulting and kidnapping the mother of his child and holding her against her will for more than a week “under challenging conditions and circumstances,” authorities said.
Giovanni McKinnis was arrested around 8:30 p.m. Saturday night and booked at the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station on a number of felony charges, including attempted murder, kidnapping, domestic violence, domestic violence restraining order violation, and false imprisonment, according to a press release by the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station. Read it below:
While taking a report of a missing person (-ref 14-00175), deputies learned that the female, age-19, resident of Palmdale, was allegedly assaulted and taken against her will by her boyfriend, and the father of her child, on Wednesday, December 25, 2013, in the 36900 block of Charter Court, Palmdale.
The missing person’s mother apparently witnessed the assault and kidnapping, but did not call police because she was in fear of the suspect, who had reportedly threatened harm to her daughter and the child. It wasn’t until the victim’s father drove to the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station on Saturday, January 4, 2014, from the city of Compton, to report his daughter missing and provided sporadic details of the Christmas day incident, that the crime was made known (-ref 14-00186).
Deputies from the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station began an immediate investigation, developed information about the suspect and learned of an address in the 1100 block of E. Avenue Q-4, Palmdale, where they believed he may be holding the victim.
While checking the location, deputies were able to make contact with [the] suspect and detain him. The deputies checked the apartment, where they located and rescued the victim.
The victim was found by deputies cowering; apparently due to fear, threats, and assault, underneath the mattress in a void area of a bed in one of the rooms. She was reportedly held under challenging conditions and circumstances in order to avoid detection by other occupants in the house.
It has been reported that a number of felony crimes, involving the same victim, were perpetrated by the suspect at the location over the course of the past several days, dating back to the December 25, 2013, incident.
The suspect, Giovanni McKinnis, M/19 – 07-24-1994, was booked at the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station on a number of felony charges, including attempted murder, kidnapping, domestic violence, domestic violence restraining order violation, and false imprisonment. He is being held in lieu of [$1 million] bail.
Nancy P says
abso freakin lutely! Someone needs to break the cycle of domestic voilence. It is sad to hear about how many people have been raped and beat in front of other people and nobody calls the cops. Family members raping family members and years later they are still celebrating holidays together. Now the working folks in the community get to pay for medical and legal assistance.
I agree. The “mom” who watched and didn’t report, needs to go to jail for aiding the accused.
Unbelievable says
So the mother of the victim WATCHED her daughter be assaulted & kidnapped but did nothing because she was afraid of this ahole? And a week & 2 days went by & still the mother did nothing? She should be arrested for aiding & abetting the suspect!! I’d disown my effing mother!!