WASHINGTON BOROUGH, N.J. (Warren County) — A 27-year-old Washington Borough man has been charged with kidnapping and home invasion burglary after a 6-year-old child was reported missing from her home Saturday morning, according to the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office.
Washington Township police received a report of a missing 6-year-old child in Washington Borough at about 2:51 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, and immediately responded.
An initial investigation determined that the child was the victim of a kidnapping from her home, according to the prosecutor’s office.
About an hour later, police located the child as she was returning home on foot. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
A coordinated, multi-agency investigation continued for 36 hours and resulted in the arrest of Lester Noe Perez-Amador within the first 24 hours, authorities said. Investigators determined that Perez-Amador was known to the child.
Perez-Amador was charged with first-degree home invasion burglary and first-degree kidnapping.
He is being held at the Warren County Correctional Center pending his first appearance in Warren County Superior Court.
First-degree kidnapping carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with 25 years of parole ineligibility, while first-degree home invasion burglary carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in New Jersey State Prison under the No Early Release Act, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The investigation remains ongoing and is being conducted by the Washington Township Police Department, Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Police, Greenwich Township Police Department, Mansfield Township Police Department and FBI Newark Field Office.
Anyone with information or surveillance video showing suspicious activity is asked to submit a tip through the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office Web Tipline.
