By james art An alleged child predator’s plans were thwarted by the quick thinking of a 14-year-old girl when she gave her mother’s cell phone number instead of her own, police in Arizona said.
“Here’s a prime example of a young lady who was quick to think on her feet and do the right thing!” the Glendale Police Department wrote in a Facebook post.
Police said Isaiah Navarro, 37, approached a 14-year-old girl as she was walking home from school.
Surveillance footage released by police showed an adult approaching the teenager.
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Isaiah Navarro is charged with luring a minor for sexual exploitation and is being held on $250,000 bail. (Glendale Police Department via Facebook)
The Glendale Police Department said Isaiah Navarro approached the teenager as she was walking home from school. (Glendale Police Department via Facebook)
Authorities said the man tried to have a conversation with the teenager, but the girl knew better than to get involved. So when he asked for her number, she gave him her mother’s instead.
“Navarro called later that day thinking he was talking to the 14-year-old victim,” police said. “Instead, he was communicating with her mother, who immediately contacted us. Unbeknownst to Navarro, our detectives stepped in and continued the conversation.”
The Glendale Police Department said the 37-year-old man’s messages to police, who posed as the 14-year-old girl, became increasingly graphic. (Glendale Police Department via Facebook)
Authorities said Navarro’s text messages became increasingly sexually graphic.
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“The conversation became increasingly graphic, with Navarro describing and asking about specific sexual acts without any regard for the victim’s age,” police said.
The Glendale Police Department said Navarro corresponded with them while they posed as the young girl and shared graphic messages regardless of her age. (Glendale Police Department via Facebook)
The Glendale Police Department shared screenshots of the text exchange. In one conversation, Navarro wrote, “I want to do you [redacted]followed by “Send me photos”.
In another conversation, Navarro asked the teenager to “keep our conversation between me and you.”
When asked to meet, Navarro agreed.
“Within a few hours, Navarro arrived on the scene, but instead of the 14-year-old young lady, Navarro was met with several handcuffs and was arrested,” the police department said.
He is charged with luring a minor for sexual exploitation and is being held on $250,000 bail.
People on social media praised the teenager’s quick thinking after she gave the stranger her mother’s phone number. (Glendale Police Department via Facebook)
The young girl has since been praised on social media by users for her quick thinking.
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One person wrote: “Super smart kid! Glad nothing happened to her.”
“A very brave young lady. Great job Glendale Police,” wrote another. “They could have just picked up on the signal, but (in my opinion) they did more than anything to take a potentially dangerous predator off the streets.”