Fifteen Year Old Georgia Girl Found After Alleged Kidnapping

Fifteen-year-old, Amanda Ornelas, has been located after being allegedly abducted by Adrian Garcia Zamarron. Zamarron has also been accused of stabbing four of her family members. 

Ornelas was taken from a laundromat in Coweta County. According to reports, she and four members of her family were helping clean up at the laundromat after hours. During the incident, the girl's uncle, aunt, and two cousins were stabbed. They are all currently at Grady Memorial Hospital in stable condition. 

Zamarron's car was found in Monroe County by authorities, and shortly after, both Zamarron and Ornelas were found walking near where the vehicle was located. 

Zamarron has been arrested on charges of kidnapping and aggravated assault in Georgia. As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will explain the law behind the criminal offense of kidnapping in the state of Georgia and the penalties that correspond with a conviction for this offense.

Kidnapping in Georgia

Kidnapping in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code as:

A person commits the offense of kidnapping when such person abducts or steals away another person without lawful authority or warrant and holds such other person against his or her will. O.C.G.A. §16-5-40.

In order to be convicted of kidnapping, the state of Georgia must prove that the accused person is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This means that there must be a demonstration that the accused person abducted another person without lawful authority and held that person against his will. If the prosecution can succeed in proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, then there will be a conviction. If convicted of kidnapping in Georgia, the convicted person is guilty of a felony offense. Kidnapping bears a penalty of anywhere from 10 years to a life sentence depending on the age of the victim. The dividing line is 14 years of age. 

Practice Note

If you or a loved one has been accused of committing a crime in Georgia, contact a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney today. We specialize in using Georgia Criminal Defenses, and we will investigate the specifics of your case and explore all of your options. 

Bottom line - your case will not defend itself. Contact us today.