A man was reportedly arrested for the alleged attempted kidnapping of a child in Shasta County.
According to a press release by the Sheriff’s Office, deputies from the Burney Station responded on Monday, June 17, to a residence on Woods Avenue to investigate reports of an adult male allegedly attempting to kidnap a 7-year-old child.
Authorities allege that the suspect had approached the child in the front yard of their residence, grabbed their arm, and told them to come with him. The suspect reportedly fled after being confronted by the child’s father.
Deputies reportedly located the suspect nearby and pursued him through multiple yards before ultimately finding him hiding under a large tree. The suspect allegedly displayed signs of being intoxicated and was uncooperative during questioning.
Witnesses positively identified this individual as the kidnapping suspect and confirmed that he’d had no business being near the victim’s home, authorities said.
The Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as George Leo Gensaw, 28.
Gensaw was ultimately arrested and booked on suspicion of attempted kidnapping and violation of parole.
