Man Accused In Abduction, Stabbing To Face Charges In New York
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Bronx man accused of kidnapping his 3-year-old daughter, triggering an AMBER Alert and manhunt that ended in New Jersey on Tuesday, is set to face charges in New York.
Diomedes Valenzuela, 47, is in custody in New Jersey after police said he fled with his daughter, Rebecca, after allegedly stabbing the girl's mother in their Bronx apartment around 2 p.m. Tuesday.
An AMBER Alert was issued, and police located Valenzuela, a former police officer in Irvington, New Jersey, about three hours later, eventually arresting him on the Garden State Parkway in Clifton, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported.
On Wednesday, state police released dashcam video of Valenzuela's arrest.
Amber Alert Rescue#AmberAlert Video Yesterday, troopers and detectives from Bloomfield Station located and arrested a suspect as a result of an Amber Alert. Troopers never know how a suspect will react. These types of situations are extremely dangerous and volatile. It could have gone badly yesterday, but thankfully it didn't. No one was hurt, and that's the most important thing. Have a look at the rescue...
Posted by New Jersey State Police on Wednesday, December 2, 2015
The video shows several officers with their guns drawn pull Valenzuela from the vehicle as other officers race to the other side and pull the young girl to safety.
"It was a high-risk stop," New Jersey State Police Lt. Al Miller said. "And just thank God that he went willingly. He didn't put up a fight, and that was the end of the resolution."
The motive in the case remains unclear.
The child's mother remains at St. Barnabas Hospital in critical condition, but is expected to survive.
The girl was unharmed and is now safe in the care of relatives.
Neighbors of the Valenzuela family said they are relieved and grateful Rebecca is safe.
"I was praying because I know the little girl. I saw (her) before. My daughter sometimes talks to her," Yenny Avreu told Burrell. "It's hard when things like that happen."
"I'm glad that they have the little girl, and I'm glad that the wife will survive also," said Ann Dempsey. "I'm really happy about that."
Valenzuela is being held at the Passaic County Jail and is expected to be brought back to New York to face multiple charges.
"I can't believe it. He didn't seem like a bad person," said neighbor Jose Martinez.