Police: Wife of Florida Attempted Kidnapper Says Husband Was Just ‘Joking’ When Grabbing 4-Year-Old Boy

An attempted kidnapping suspect’s wife claimed that her husband was just “joking” when he allegedly tried to abduct a 4-year-old from a Florida Walmart in a shocking incident caught on camera Friday.

Disturbing surveillance footage from the Lehigh Acres store shows the moment a man, later identified as 64-year-old Pablo Pintueles Hernandez, approached a little boy and grabbed him by the wrist.

Police said in a press release that Hernandez allegedly said, “Let’s go” to the child before attempting to lead him away from his family, who were able to quickly intervene and get him away to safety.

Authorities say that Hernandez, whose wife had accompanied him to the Walmart, then stalked off, concluded his shopping, and exited the store.

“Deputies tirelessly worked alongside our Real Time Intelligence Center Analysts to identify the suspect,” the Lee County Sheriff’s Office stated on Facebook. “Together, analysts and deputies utilized advanced technology to quickly identify and locate Pintueles Hernandez. Within an hour of the incident, deputies responded to the residence of Pintueles Hernandez where his identity was confirmed.”

Hernandez was arrested after detectives established probable cause for him to be charged with false imprisonment of a child 13 years old or under.

The surveillance footage shared by the department also cuts to a clip of the suspect being marched into a sheriff’s transportation van while decked out in a bright red jumpsuit and handcuffs.

“What this criminal did is incredibly disturbing,” stated Sheriff Carmine Marceno. “I never want anyone in Lee County to feel unsafe, especially going on a simple shopping trip. My team will stop at NOTHING to ensure criminals like this face the consequences of their actions.”

According to an arrest report obtained by the New York Post, the 4-year-old was shopping with his mother and two sisters when the incident occurred.

The video shows one of the boy’s sisters taking action to grab her little brother back from the strange man. She later told cops she felt “scared” for the child’s safety, according to the report.

Odalis Vaillant Leyva, Hernandez’s wife, told deputies that her husband is “outgoing and frequently jokes with children, calling them ‘Papito.’”

“Leyva has warned her husband against these interactions because other people do not interpret the interactions the same way he does,” the report noted.

The suspect’s wife also told the boy’s heroic sister that Hernandez “was joking” before the couple left.

When speaking with police, Hernandez allegedly admitted that he had grabbed the child’s wrist before the boy began to walk away with him, before his sister “got upset and grabbed the boy’s other arm.”

“Hernandez explained this is part of his personality; he likes interacting with children and has done similar things on prior occasions,” officials stated in the arrest report. “Hernandez stated he had no intention of leaving with the child.”

The Post reported that Hernandez was released from jail on New Year’s Eve despite his suspected intentions, after posting a $100,000 bond.

His next court appearance is due for January 29.