Foto: Sacramento County Sheriff's Office
A California man is facing several charges for allegedly paying a homeless woman to watch his granddaughter while he was at the bar. The Sacramento Sheriff's Office said that 54-year-old Jason Warren approached the woman on May 4 and offered her $20 to watch after his seven-year-old daughter while he was at the bar.
After four hours, he came out but couldn't find the woman, and started asking other people for help, claiming she was kidnapped by human traffickers.
When deputies arrived, they spoke to Warren, who was "highly intoxicated." He said the woman took his granddaughter to a nearby thrift store. Police reviewed surveillance video showing the woman leaving the store with the young girl.
They immediately began an urgent search for the girl, using a helicopter, drones, and K9 units. About 30 minutes later, the homeless woman heard a police announcement about the abduction and brought the young girl to the police. She confirmed Warren's story and said she took the girl to her homeless camp to get food.
Police took Warren into custody and charged him with felony child endangerment.
The young girl was returned to her aunt, who has full custody of her.
Warren maintains he did nothing wrong.
"She was about 28 to 30 years old," Warren told a KTXL reporter from prison. "I knew, I could tell by her character that she seemed like a decent person. I trusted her like I would trust my sister or my cousin."
When asked if he would do it again, Warren replied: "Yes, I would. I didn't do anything wrong. Everything I did, I told God about, and I said, 'It's your will, God, not my will. Let your will be done.'"