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| Isidro Garcia charged with holding girl captive | Isidro Garcia charged with holding girl captive |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man accused of kidnapping a teenager and holding her captive for 10 years and forcing her to marry him has been charged in a California court. | A man accused of kidnapping a teenager and holding her captive for 10 years and forcing her to marry him has been charged in a California court. |
| Isidro Garcia, 42, has been charged with rape, lewd acts on a minor, and kidnapping to commit a sexual offence. | Isidro Garcia, 42, has been charged with rape, lewd acts on a minor, and kidnapping to commit a sexual offence. |
| The woman, now 25, had a child with the alleged kidnapper. She contacted police after getting in touch with her sister on Facebook, authorities said. | The woman, now 25, had a child with the alleged kidnapper. She contacted police after getting in touch with her sister on Facebook, authorities said. |
| Mr Garcia denies all the charges and his lawyer said the woman had lied. | |
| Outside court on Thursday, Charles Frisco said his client never hit his wife and would never have prevented her from leaving. | Outside court on Thursday, Charles Frisco said his client never hit his wife and would never have prevented her from leaving. |
| The woman was lying about enduring physical and sexual abuse because the couple was breaking up, Mr Frisco added. | The woman was lying about enduring physical and sexual abuse because the couple was breaking up, Mr Frisco added. |
| According to police in southern California, the abuse began in 2004, when Mr Garcia was dating the victim's mother and residing with her and her daughters in Santa Ana, a city in Orange County. | According to police in southern California, the abuse began in 2004, when Mr Garcia was dating the victim's mother and residing with her and her daughters in Santa Ana, a city in Orange County. |
| The police allege that Mr Garcia began sexually assaulting the victim that June, only four months after she arrived in the US from Mexico. | The police allege that Mr Garcia began sexually assaulting the victim that June, only four months after she arrived in the US from Mexico. |
| In August, he assaulted the victim's mother and drugged the teenager, driving her 26 miles (42km) north to Compton, in Los Angeles county, where he locked her in a garage, police said. | In August, he assaulted the victim's mother and drugged the teenager, driving her 26 miles (42km) north to Compton, in Los Angeles county, where he locked her in a garage, police said. |
| Mr Garcia allegedly told the victim her family had given up looking for her. The woman twice tried to escape but he beat her severely, police said. | Mr Garcia allegedly told the victim her family had given up looking for her. The woman twice tried to escape but he beat her severely, police said. |
| On Wednesday, Cpl Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department told reporters Mr Garcia had "brainwashed" her and threatened to have her family deported. | On Wednesday, Cpl Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department told reporters Mr Garcia had "brainwashed" her and threatened to have her family deported. |
| He said that in 2007, he forced the woman into a marriage, using documents he obtained in Mexico, and in 2012 the two had a child. | He said that in 2007, he forced the woman into a marriage, using documents he obtained in Mexico, and in 2012 the two had a child. |
| Recently, she contacted her sister on Facebook and was told that her mother had indeed been trying to find her, using a Spanish-language newspaper and television station. | Recently, she contacted her sister on Facebook and was told that her mother had indeed been trying to find her, using a Spanish-language newspaper and television station. |
| The communication with her sister encouraged her to flee, said Cpl Bertagna. | The communication with her sister encouraged her to flee, said Cpl Bertagna. |
| On Monday she went to police to report that she was a victim of domestic abuse and that she had been abducted. | On Monday she went to police to report that she was a victim of domestic abuse and that she had been abducted. |
| In an interview with KABC television, the woman said tearfully in broken English that when she was kidnapped she was only a helpless teenager and could only do what her captor wanted. | In an interview with KABC television, the woman said tearfully in broken English that when she was kidnapped she was only a helpless teenager and could only do what her captor wanted. |
| "I don't have a life all these 10 years," she said. | "I don't have a life all these 10 years," she said. |
| Neighbours in the street in Bell Gardens, Los Angeles, where the couple lived in recent years said on Wednesday evening they were stunned by the news, describing them as a happy couple who doted on their young daughter and even hosted parties. | Neighbours in the street in Bell Gardens, Los Angeles, where the couple lived in recent years said on Wednesday evening they were stunned by the news, describing them as a happy couple who doted on their young daughter and even hosted parties. |
| The alleged victim acknowledged her neighbours thought her captor was a good man because he worked hard for her and her daughter and "he bought everything I want". | The alleged victim acknowledged her neighbours thought her captor was a good man because he worked hard for her and her daughter and "he bought everything I want". |
| "But I need love of my family, not things," she said. | "But I need love of my family, not things," she said. |