A Cranston, R.I., man who allegedly snatched a 9-year-old girl as she walked home from her school bus Monday was held without bail at his Wednesday arraignment, officials said.
Luis Martinez-Romero, 34, is facing charges for kidnapping of a minor and second-degree sexual assault, said Providence Police spokeswoman Lindsay Lague. He was arrested Tuesday.
“There has been no more disturbing, deeply disturbing case in this city, or I’d say in this state, for quite some time,” said Police Chief Hugh Clements at a press conference following the Wednesday morning arraignment in the Sixth Division District Court in Providence.
Clements said the girl got off her school bus in Providence at about 3 p.m. Monday when Martinez-Romero picked her up and put her in his SUV.
A video released by police Tuesday shows the girl walking on the street when an SUV pulls up and the alleged suspect walks out, picking up the girl as she walks behind his car. He then puts her in the backseat of his car and drives off.
From there, Clements said, the suspect drove the girl around Providence, taking her to a remote location where they remained parked for a short period of time. Martinez-Romero then allegedly drove her around Cranston until he dropped her back off in the general vicinity of where he allegedly picked her up.
The victim was missing for an hour, he said.
At some point, Martinez-Romero took the girl to a Burger King drive-thru, Clements said, and detectives were able to use this information to get an arrest warrant.
“This dangerous individual has been removed from the streets of our city due to the swift and vigilant work of our officers who worked tirelessly on this case,” Clements said
Clements said this incident is a stranger crime, and that there is currently no indication that anyone else was involved nor that Martinez-Romero had done similar acts before, citing the suspect’s clean record in Rhode Island.
“It’s extremely rare,” Clements said of stranger crimes. “I mean, in our experiences, most crimes, victims know each other — victims and suspect, there’s some sort of relationship but certainly there are stranger crimes. This, at this point, is one of them.”
Police said they are looking into connections Martinez-Romero might have about a block away from where the girl was picked up, as well as connections in Florida.
The victim is safe, Clements said, and is receiving proper care.
“She’s receiving the assist and support that she will need, as we know, far beyond today. I mean, this poor, young victim, and but she’s safe,” Clements said. “And that’s the most important thing.”
Luis-Romero was held without bail, according to a court clerk.
Breanne Kovatch can be reached at [email protected] Follow her on Twitter at @breannekovatch.
