Charges dropped for man suspected in 4-year-old's attempted abduction
The Brief
Officials say "evidentiary issues" are to blame for dropped charges against a Honduran migrant accused of attempted abduction.
Hyrum Baquedano-Rodriguez was accused in 2023 for trying to abduct a 4-year-old girl.
Baquedano-Rodriguez was release and is currently in ICE custody.
ANNANDALE, Va. - Charges have been dropped against a Honduran illegal immigrant who was accused of trying to abduct a four-year-old girl nearly two years ago.
What we know
Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney dropped charges against 24-year-old Hyrum Baquedano-Rodriguez.
"Unfortunately, serious evidentiary issues forced prosecutors to seek accountability via plea agreement," said the Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney's Office. "We are disappointed with the judge's decision to reject what we viewed as the best outcome available."
FOX 5 has learned that Baquedano-Rodriguez is in ICE custody and the agency is issuing a final order of removal to deport Baquedano-Rodriguez back to Honduras.
The backstory
On June 15, 2023, Fairfax County Police responded to a home in the 7500 block of Little River Turnpike after receiving a call reporting a burglary and an attempted abduction of a child.
When they arrived, the 4-year-old's mother said she woke up when she heard her daughter crying and saw the window in her room had been opened. The child told her mother someone grabbed her and then ran away.
Investigators say a fingerprint led them to Baquedano-Rodriguez who was arrested the following day.
ICE officials said Baquedano-Rodriguez is a national of Honduras and described him as an "unlawfully present noncitizen." They say he was first encountered by U.S. Border Patrol in Yuma, Arizona on August 25, 2018.
"I'm traumatized to be quite honest with you. She is 4 years old," the victim's mother told FOX 5 in 2023. "It's not that she's not comfortable, but you can tell there are signs of trauma that's left behind from this, and I'm going to have to get her some type of counseling as well as myself."
The Source
This story includes information from the Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney's Office as well as previous FOX 5 DC reporting.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Gavin Newsom condemns National Guard deployment amid ICE raids, protests in LA
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday evening criticized federal officials' decision to deploy 2,000 members of the California National Guard to the Los Angeles area as 'purposefully inflammatory.' U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents deployed flash grenades and tear gas to disperse a protest at a Home Depot in Paramount, where people had gathered to protest a series of raids immigration officials had carried out around the city on Friday. SEIU California union president David Huerta, a frequent Newsom ally, was injured while protesting Friday and remained in federal custody over the weekend. 'The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers,' Newsom said in a social media post. 'That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.' In an earlier post announcing he had deployed CHP officers to 'maintain safety on Los Angeles highways to keep the peace.' 'It's not (the CHP's) job to assist in federal immigration enforcement,' Newsom said. 'The federal government is sowing chaos so they can have an excuse to escalate. That is not the way any civilized country behaves.' The Department of Homeland Security said Saturday that recent ICE operations in the south state resulted in the arrest of 118 people, including five individuals the agency identified as gang members. The agency said those arrested included individuals with prior convictions for drug trafficking, assault and other offenses. Federal officials linked the arrests to heightened tensions in the region, and said ICE agents had been targeted during protests. The department reported a '413% increase in assaults' on officers and alleged that some agents' family members had been doxed. Homeland Security officials criticized the Los Angeles Police Department in the statement, saying it took officers more than two hours to respond to a disturbance outside a federal building Friday night. 'The violent targeting of law enforcement in Los Angeles by lawless rioters is despicable and Mayor (Karen) Bass and Governor Newsom must call for it to end,' Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in the statement. 'The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line to protect and defend the lives of American citizens.' McLaughlin went on to criticize House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.J. and others including Bass for 'contributing to the surge in assaults of our ICE officers' 'From comparisons to the modern-day Nazi gestapo to glorifying rioters, the violent rhetoric of these sanctuary politicians is beyond the pale. This violence against ICE must end,' she said. Tom Homan, the White House 'border czar,' told Fox News on Saturday that the administration planned to send in National Guardsmen to quell the protests, saying ICE would not 'apologize for enforcing the law.' Under the Insurrection Act of 1792, federal authorities can override state law and deploy state militia in specific circumstances, such as in 'emergencies, civil disturbances, and other reasons authorized by state law.' In 2020, the Trump administration called up guardsmen from 11 states to put down anti-police brutality protests in Washington, D.C. It was unclear what authority Homan, who has no official title within either Homeland Security or ICE, or any other officials had invoked to send in the National Guard. In a statement Saturday night, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the deployment, accusing California officials of failing to maintain order. 'California's feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens,' she said. 'That is why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.' 'The Commander-in-Chief will ensure the laws of the United States are executed fully and completely.' The protests at the Home Depot in Paramount escalated into a violent clash with federal agents, prompting federal officials to declare the gathering an unlawful assembly. Flash-bang grenades and pepper balls were deployed, according to the Los Angeles Times, and several protesters were injured. Federal officials said one immigration agent was injured when a rock shattered his vehicle's windshield, and the U.S. Marshals Service reported arrests for obstructing operations, according to the Times. Bass said reports of violence in Paramount, an independent city patrolled by the L.A. Sheriff's Department, were 'deeply concerning' and emphasized that while peaceful protest was protected, 'violence and destruction are unacceptable.' Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons told the Times that the city had no prior notice of federal operations and was not coordinating with immigration authorities. 'That creates chaos and fear,' she said. In a statement posted to social media, Rep. Nanette Barragán, who represents south Los Angeles, condemned the use of tear gas and heavy-handed tactics by ICE and other federal agencies. 'This is unacceptable,' she wrote, urging constituents to 'know your rights.' Newsom, who was previously in Los Angeles this week, said in a statement that local authorities had 'no unmet needs' and were able to 'access law enforcement assistance at a moment's notice.' 'The Guard has been admirably serving L.A. throughout recovery,' he said. 'This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Donald Trump orders National Guard to LA after clashes over immigration raids
Donald Trump has ordered the National Guard be sent to Los Angeles following clashes over raids on undocumented migrants Residents of a predominantly Latino district repeatedly clashed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) federal agents Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth says active duty Marines are also on "high alert" California Governor Gavin Newsom says the decision is "purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions" Donald Trump orders National Guard to LA after clashes over immigration raids
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump deploying National Guard over California immigration protests
The National Guard will be deployed in California as protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles continue, the White House said on Saturday. The protests began on Friday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers executed search warrants across the city. According to the US Department of Homeland Security, around 1,000 protesters attacked ICE officers on Friday. United States Border Patrol chief Michael Banks wrote on X that several arrests had been made on Saturday for alleged assaults on federal agents. US President Donald Trump had signed a memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen "to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester," the White House said. The ICE operations were "essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States," the White House said. "In the wake of this violence, California's feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens," the statement said. "The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs. These criminals will be arrested and swiftly brought to justice." US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned in a post on X that the US military may also be deployed. "If violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert," he wrote. California Governor Gavin Newsom urged people not to use violence. "The federal government is taking over the California National Guard and deploying 2,000 soldiers in Los Angeles — not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle," he wrote on X. "Don't give them one. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully." Moments before Trump's announcement, Newsom wrote on X that any move to deploy the National Guard would escalate tensions. "That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions," he wrote. "The federal government is sowing chaos so they can have an excuse to escalate. That is not the way any civilized country behaves." Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said it was a difficult time for the city. "Many in our community are feeling fear following recent federal immigration enforcement actions across Los Angeles County," she wrote on X. Reports of unrest outside the city were deeply concerning, she said. "Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, but let me be clear: violence and destruction are unacceptable, and those responsible will be held accountable."
