A 26-year-old man has been arrested and charged with abducting a toddler from a shopping mall in Virginia after disturbing security footage captured the incident inside Fair Oaks Shopping Center on July 18.

Fairfax County Police say the incident occurred when a three-year-old girl briefly wandered away from an indoor play area at the mall.

Surveillance video shows the child walking toward the entrance of a JC Penney when a man followed her, bent down, and picked her up.

The man, later identified as Andres Caceres Jaldin, then walked into the store carrying the child.

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The girl’s father noticed she was missing from the play area and immediately called his wife, who was shopping inside the department store.

According to court documents obtained by NBC, the mother quickly located the man holding their daughter and confronted him.

The child was recovered safely, and no injuries were reported.

Jaldin fled the scene following the confrontation, but police later located him at an Extended Stay Hotel in Chantilly, a nearby community.

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Officers also recovered a vehicle Jaldin allegedly stole from a local auto shop prior to the abduction. He was arrested and taken into custody without incident.

Police charged Jaldin with abduction of a minor and grand larceny.

He is currently being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

According to a criminal complaint, Jaldin told police he was trying to help the child find her parents when he picked her up.

However, law enforcement determined there was no evidence supporting his claim, and his actions were deemed unauthorized and criminal.

Images released by authorities show Jaldin in custody, flanked by two Fairfax County officers during his arrest.

Court records reviewed by NBC indicate that Jaldin has a history of violent behavior.

In 2023, he was charged with multiple counts of assault and battery, malicious wounding, and property destruction.

The listed victims in those cases were his immediate family, including his mother, father, and brother.

While out of jail and awaiting trial, additional complaints were filed against Jaldin, again involving alleged assaults on his family.

As part of the legal proceedings, he underwent a psychiatric evaluation and was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Ultimately, the charges related to the family incidents were dropped, and Jaldin was released back into the community.

Fairfax County Deputy Chief Frederick Chambers addressed the incident during a press briefing, warning parents about the dangers of momentary lapses in supervision.

“Pay close attention to your child because you could see how quickly this child wandered off and was able to be picked up,” Chambers said.

Officials have not confirmed whether Jaldin is in the United States legally.

Immigration status was not disclosed in the police report or court filings, and Fairfax County Police have stated that they are unable to provide that information at this time.

Jaldin remains in custody as the case moves forward through the Fairfax County court system.

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