A man is in custody after police said he broke into a home in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, multiple times and attempted to kidnap a 9-year-old girl who lives there.
According to police, Jefferson Mejia Gonzalez was caught on camera on Christmas Eve breaking into a Coatesville family home.
Homeowner Tiffani Szabara said Gonzalez broke into her house four times since September just to watch her 9-year-old daughter sleep and talk to her.
"I honestly felt guilty and kind of shameful because I felt like I wasn't doing my best to protect my kids," Szabara told NBC10.
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Szabara said her daughter is now terrified and she sets alarms on her tablet at night to check the house locks. Szabara adds Gonzalez always came in the middle of the night but never stole anything.
"One night in particular, I had almost $1,000 in cash and he didn't touch it," Szabara said.
According to Szabara, one time Gonzalez even asked her daughter to come with him but he didn't force her when she said no.
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"My 9-year-old daughter told this man, 'Don't pet my dog. Get out of my house.' She didn't scream. She actually followed him down the stairs as he left," Szabara said.
Szabara added that her back door was broken, which is how he got in the first time. She accidentally left the door unlocked other times.
Another time Gonzalez broke into the house by crawling in a window, investigators said. Szabara said she never heard him in the house during most of the incidents.
Thanks to tips from the public, police were able to identify Gonzalez as the suspect, investigators said. Detectives also spoke to his mother who said he has no history of mental illness.
Police said Gonzalez has been charged with stalking, burglary and other crimes.
"Somebody knew this guy because in reference to the tip that was received, you can tell that it was from someone that knew him," Coatesville Police Department Detective Jose Colon said.
Police urge the public to lock their doors and turn on their surveillance cameras for safety.
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