He had a feeling in his stomach. He followed it — and found a kidnapped 5-year-old girl.
On July 11, 2013, 15-year-old Temar Boggs and his friend Chris Garcia chased down a car on their bikes in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, helping rescue a 5-year-old girl, Jocelyn Rojas, who had been abducted from her front yard hours earlier.
The Abduction
Jocelyn vanished from her yard in Lancaster Township that afternoon. Within a couple of hours, the neighborhood was swarmed with police, firefighters, and news crews as a search got underway. Temar and Chris joined a group of friends who fanned out to help look for her, spending nearly 45 minutes searching without success before most of the group returned home.
The Chase
Temar kept going. Riding alone on his bike, he noticed a car repeatedly turning through a cluster of cul-de-sacs in a pattern that struck him as odd — and then, when the driver spotted a police car up ahead and abruptly reversed direction, Temar looked closer and saw a young girl in the passenger seat. He and Chris pursued the car on their bikes for roughly 10 to 15 minutes before the driver, apparently realizing he was being followed, stopped and let the girl out.
Jocelyn ran straight to Temar, telling him she needed her mother. He carried her partway home before switching to walking her the rest of the way, judging that carrying her on the bike wasn't safe, and brought her to a firefighter at the scene, who reunited her with her family.
A Reluctant Hero
Temar later described his motivation simply: he wanted to help someone in his community and make sure Jocelyn was safe, not to receive recognition. His actions and Chris's made national news, and the two were celebrated locally as heroes for their quick thinking.
A Complicated Chapter Later
In December 2015, at 18, Temar pointed a gun at the owner of a Lancaster grocery store during an armed robbery, fleeing with a small amount of cash alongside a 16-year-old accomplice. He turned himself in to police in February 2016 and pleaded guilty that June to first-degree felony robbery and conspiracy, telling the court he had "gotten in with the wrong crowd." He was sentenced to 40 months to 10 years in state prison.
Parole
In 2019, Temar was granted parole, with conditions requiring him to maintain employment and approved housing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Temar Boggs still known for his heroic act?
Yes. The story of his 2013 rescue continues to circulate widely online, particularly on social media, sometimes without noting how long ago it occurred.
What happened to Temar Boggs after the rescue?
In 2016, he pleaded guilty to armed robbery and served time in state prison before being granted parole in 2019.
Was the man who abducted Jocelyn Rojas caught?
Yes. He was later identified as a convicted sex offender and pleaded guilty to kidnapping and sexually assaulting her.