Man arrested for allegedly kidnapping a 13-year-old girl and running over her brother with a car

TAYLORSVILLE — An 18-year-old man was arrested by police on Saturday for the alleged kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the girl’s parents told police that Joseph Genovez had their daughter in a vehicle. And despite their pleas, Genovez refused to let the girl out of the vehicle. The probable cause affidavit further states that Genovez put the vehicle in gear and ran over the girl’s older brother.

Genovez later told police he was being driven home from Kearns Oval Arena. When he arrived home, he was met outside by the victim’s family.

The brother was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries and was later transported to a larger hospital due to the severity of his injuries.

The young girl was later found. She was questioned by police in the presence of her mother. The probable cause statement also stated that the mother had been informed that Genovez had allegedly sexually abused the girl.

Taken into custody

Genovez was later arrested by West Valley police at a location in West Valley City.

According to the probable cause statement, Genovez, who exercised his Miranda rights, admitted that he knew the girl was a minor.

Genovez said he did not let the girl out of the vehicle but fled the scene of the accident out of fear. He also acknowledged that he struck a person with his vehicle but feared the male victim had a weapon.

The statement of suspicion states that the boy only had a mobile phone with him at the time.

In addition, the suspect admitted to having had an inappropriate relationship with the girl for two to three weeks.

Genovez was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on charges of rape of a child, aggravated assault, child abduction, and failure to appear at the scene of an accident involving serious injury.