Father Tracks Kidnapped Daughter with Parental Controls

A father in Texas used smartphone parental controls to find and rescue his daughter from a Christmas Day nightmare scenario after she was abducted at knifepoint.

A Christmas day kidnapping in Porter, Texas

At around 5 pm on December 25, 2025, deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported kidnapping in Porter, Texas.

A 15-year-old girl was out for a walk with her dog, but didn’t return home at her usual time. The concerned parents used parental controls on her phone to track her location.

The application helped the father reach a secluded, partially wooded area in Harris County, around two miles from their home.

He found his daughter inside a maroon pickup truck with a partially nude adult male. The father helped his daughter escape and called police. 

How authorities identified and arrested the suspect

Investigators allege the suspect threatened the victim with a knife and abducted her from the street.

Witnesses even offered deputies a detailed description of the suspect and the car. Deputies quickly found the truck and identified the driver as Giovanni Rosales Espinoza, a 23-year-old man from Porter.

Detectives from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit took Espinoza into custody without incident. Authorities charged him with aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child.

Espinoza remains incarcerated in the Montgomery County Jail with no bond set. Sheriff Wesley Doolittle praised deputies and detectives for their rapid response.

“Christmas is a day meant for joy, but this man chose to shatter that joy by targeting a child. I am incredibly proud of our deputies and detectives who worked tirelessly to ensure this dangerous predator was swiftly apprehended and removed from our streets,” said Sheriff Wesley Doolittle. “Rest assured, your Sheriff’s Office remains vigilant every hour of every day to keep your families safe.”

How parents can use technology to protect children

Most parents enable parental controls to manage screen time or block apps, but as this case shows, they can serve a much bigger purpose.

Important protective measures include:

• Location tracking is enabled at all times, not just during trips
• Device-level parental controls, not just app-based tools
• Account-level monitoring tied to a parent’s own device
• Education for children on sharing location data during emergencies

 Strengthen family safety with Bitdefender

Bitdefender’s digital protection tools and parental control tools help families secure devices, accounts and online identities in a single ecosystem.

With features designed to:

• Monitor device activity
• Protect personal data from exposure
• Alert parents to suspicious behavior

FAQ

How did the father track his daughter?

He used parental controls on her smartphone, which let him locate the device in real time.

What charges does the suspect face?

Authorities charged Giovanni Rosales Espinoza with aggravated kidnapping and indecency with a child. He remains jailed with no bond.

How are parental controls effective in emergencies?

If enabled in advance, features such as location tracking and account access can provide immediate information during a crisis.

What else can parents do to protect children?

Parents should combine digital security tools, open communication and clear safety plans to reduce risk.