FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – A child custody exchange turns into a violent kidnapping in Tulare.
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office says it started September 6 on the 600 block of Wade Avenue.
18-year-old Richard Hernandez (above) was meeting his ex-girlfriend that night to pick up their child.
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux says they argued, he then assaulted her new boyfriend, who was with her, “pulls out a baseball bat – obviously the situation is deteriorating quickly.”
He was hit and injured, Hernandez meanwhile forced his ex back into her car with their 3-year-old daughter still inside.
Sheriff Boudreaux says she later escaped but was unable to grab the child.
The manhunt led to a home in the 100 Block of Sacramento Street, where the suspect’s current girlfriend, 18-year-old Jade Ruiz (below), tried to hide him.
Around 6:00 Friday morning, she was caught when she walked out of the house with the 3-year-old, safe and uninjured.
“She indicates that the boyfriend has left – he’s no longer there,” said Sheriff Boudreaux. “We don’t buy that story, we search the home and in fact find him hiding inside the home.”
Ricardo Hernandez arrested and booked at the Adult Pre-trial Facility for kidnapping, child endangerment, assault and theft of a vehicle.
Jade Ruiz was arrested and booked at the Adult Pre-trial Facility for accessory after the fact.
Click to hear the report by KMJ’S Liz Kern:
