Three people in Texas were arrested in connection with the alleged kidnapping of an 11-year-old boy who police say was also injected with drugs and sexually abused.
KSAT reported that Laura Garcia, 35, and Larry Gallegos, 38, are accused of abducting the victim from a park on February 22 by posing as his parents. The child said he put up a fight, which led the pair to drag him into a nearby apartment with “a lot of drugs and needles around,” according to an affidavit.
Upon entering the apartment, Garcia allegedly restrained him in a bed while Gallegos threatened him with a knife. The affidavit said that Garcia then pulled the boy’s pants down and Gallegos fondled him. Investigators believe the pair injected the boy with drugs at one point as he told them he “began to feel very sleep,” according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Per the affidavit, the victim “said he knew it was a long time because the sun was out when he fell asleep and it was really dark when Johnny woke up.”
The little boy reportedly attempted to leave after coming to but was stopped by Frances Gallegos, 33, Garcia, and Garcia’s boyfriend. Frances ultimately admitted to striking the boy and punching him while wearing a “butterfly ring,” the newspaper reported.
The boy reportedly said it was hard to leave the apartment as he was experiencing pain in between his legs. KSAT reported he also revealed the attack was possibly caught on tape as he spotted people in the apartment “holding their phones in the air.”
Another article by the outlet stated that the boy also overheard a phone conversation where someone was trying to sell him in exchange for drugs.
Officials have declined to disclose where the alleged kidnapping occurred, citing an ongoing investigation. Court documents also didn’t reveal how the boy escaped from the apartment.
Garcia was arrested last Thursday and charged with aggravated kidnapping and trafficking of a persons. Frances and Larry were taken into custody afterward and are facing similar charges. They’re being held on $150,000 and $300,000 bonds, respectively.
[Featured Image: Frances Gallegos, Larry Gallegos, and Laura Garcia/Bexar County jail]
