Man gave homeless woman $20 to watch granddaughter while he went to bar

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KMPH) — A man was arrested on Monday after deputies said he paid a homeless woman $20 to take his 7-year-old granddaughter to a nearby thrift store so he could go to a bar in Sacramento.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call around 7:45 p.m. with the caller reporting a man, later identified as 54-year-old Jason Warren, was asking for help because his granddaughter had been kidnapped for human trafficking.

When deputies arrived they found Warren, who they say was highly intoxicated.

He told them he gave an unknown homeless woman $20 to take his granddaughter to the thrift store while he went into the bar about four hours earlier.

Deputies located surveillance video of the woman leaving with the child.

A helicopter with the sheriff’s office was called in along with drones, and K9 Units to help with the search.

The homeless woman heard the PA announcements about 30 minutes later and returned to the parking lot with the child.

She confirmed that Warren had given her money to take the child to the thrift store.

She also told them he was very drunk and did not think he could care for the child so she took the girl to her encampment.

Deputies spoke with the child, who told the same story as the woman. Deputies said the child was calm when they talked to her. She was medically cleared by Fire Department personnel.

Deputies determined the child’s aunt had full custody of the child, but asked Warren to care for his granddaughter because she had to go to work.

Deputies conferred with Child Protective Services and determined the child was cleared to return home with her aunt.

Deputies consulted with Detectives from the Sheriff’s Child Abuse Bureau, and Warren was arrested for felony child endangerment and other charges.

He was booked into Sacramento County Main Jail on $75,000 bail.

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