A 19-year-old attempted kidnapping suspect has been apprehended in Georgia.
Edie Ruland, mother of Dennis Tyler Ruland, confirmed that he surrendered to authorities in Peach County, Georgia on Monday. A woman, identified as Teresa Silva, would be being charged with allegedly helping him in the original kidnapping.
A manhunt got underway Sunday after detectives said the 19-year-old attempted to take his biological daughter from his ex-girlfriend.
Ruland allegedly took the child from the vehicle after stalking them to Sonic, and he was then confronted by the child’s mother.
She tried to get the child back, which was when Ruland allegedly displayed a 45 caliber semi-automatic weapon and shot at the mother.
Police said Ruland got the child into his vehicle, but the mother continued to fight. She was hit in the head with Ruland’s weapon during the fight.
After Ruland drove away with the two in his vehicle, reports stated the mother was able to grab her daughter and jump out of the vehicle when Ruland slowed down near the intersection of New Cut Road and Betts Road – located about seven miles from the scene at Sonic.
Authorities said witnesses called police after seeing the mother jump out of the vehicle.
Both the child and her mother were taken to the hospital with severe but non-life threatening injuries.
Officials confirmed an unknown white female was with Ruland at the time of the abduction.
Reports stated Ruland was already wanted by police on charges of aggravated domestic assault, vandalism, theft, domestic assault, and criminal trespassing from previous incidents with the same victim.
He would be charged with two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated domestic assault, and two counts of reckless endangerment. Additional details of his arrest were not available.
