Governor Glenn Youngkin slammed Virginia’s soft-on-crime policies after it came to light that the suspect was caught on camera trying to snatch a toddler from her family at a Virginia mall, had been released from jail only days prior.
Three days after walking free from jail, a repeat offender was caught on camera trying to snatch a toddler from her family at a Virginia mall, prompting Gov. Glenn Youngkin to condemn the county’s soft-on-crime policies.
“There is a shocking and unforgivable pattern in Fairfax County of releasing criminals back onto Virginia’s streets instead of keeping them behind bars,” Youngkin wrote on X. “The Commonwealth’s Attorney cares more about protecting criminals than about keeping children safe.”
“Fairfax County parents should be horrified,” Youngkin said.
Following Youngkin’s post, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares also took to X, saying his office “will examine the facts and report to the people of Fairfax why CA Descano’s [Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano] refusal to prosecute criminals has been allowed to endanger the public.”
Viral video, captured on CCTV footage at around 11:35 a.m. July 18 at the Fair Oaks Shopping Center in Fair Oaks, Virginia, captured 26-year-old Andres Caceres Jaldin scooping up a young toddler.
Parents of the young girl found Jaldin on the second floor of the mall and got their daughter back.
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, Jaldin fled the mall but was arrested a short time later at the Extended Stay hotel in Chantilly, Virginia. Jaldin allegedly stole a car from an auto shop before the alleged abduction.
He was charged with abduction of a minor and grand larceny.
