Watch CBS News

Woman found safe, longtime boyfriend charged after photos capture possible Hialeah abduction, police say

A woman is now safe and found uninjured after police said her longtime boyfriend was caught on camera allegedly abducting her following a domestic dispute on New Year's Eve in Hialeah.

On Saturday, Hialeah Police announced they had found the woman. They arrested her boyfriend, 49-year-old Jose Manuel Gonzalez, after surveillance photos showed him, the woman and a pickup truck involved in the incident earlier this week. Gonzalez was charged with kidnapping and domestic battery.

manuel-gonzalez.png
Miami-Dade Corrections

Hialeah Police Chief George Fuente said the department was thankful for the community's help during their search for the woman and Gonzalez.

"The Hialeah Police Department extends its sincere gratitude to the community for their vigilance and assistance during this investigation," he said. "Your partnership remains vital in ensuring the safety of our city."

Although the woman was found safe, Hialeah Police stated that the actions depicted in the photos "warrant serious legal consequences."

A domestic dispute escalates into a New Year's Eve abduction

In initial reports, police described a "suspicious incident" that happened at 6:45 a.m. on New Year's Eve just outside an apartment building at West 27th Avenue and 52nd Street, where authorities said a concerned citizen called 911 to say she may have witnessed an abduction. Police found security footage that corroborated the witness account and immediately began investigating.

At the time, Hialeah Police said the abduction didn't appear to be a random act and that the victim and suspect may have known each other. In their Saturday update, police said the incident stemmed from an "escalated domestic dispute" that happened when the woman was allegedly visiting acquaintances at the location when the suspect — later identified as her boyfriend, Gonzalez — arrived and forced her into his truck.

Hialeah Police did not provide further details on what led to the dispute.

When the investigation was underway, CBS News Miami spoke with a resident at the Lake Condominium building, who said she heard the woman's screams.

CBS News Miami also spoke with the building manager's son, who said he didn't recognize her but was shocked at what had happened. Other neighbors that CBS News Miami spoke to said they've seen the truck in the area before and were also surprised at what happened.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue