Word spread through the neighborhood that a 5-year-old girl had been taken. A 15-year-old on a bike had a feeling about which direction to look — and he was right.
The Abduction
On July 11, 2013, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 5-year-old Jocelyn Rojas was abducted from her neighborhood. As word spread, 15-year-old Temar Boggs and his friend Chris Garcia organized a search among their group of friends, canvassing the area for roughly 45 minutes without success before returning as police, firefighters, and news crews arrived on scene.
Following a Hunch
While others in the search party dispersed to talk with officials, Boggs said he had a strong feeling about which direction to search and rode off on his bike, with Garcia following. The two spotted a car behaving suspiciously, circling through nearby side streets, and saw Jocelyn in the passenger seat.
The Chase
Boggs and Garcia pursued the vehicle on their bikes for ten to fifteen minutes. When the driver spotted a police car and appeared to panic, he let Jocelyn out along the road. She ran to Boggs, telling him she needed her mother, and he carried her partway home before handing her off to a firefighter at the scene.
A Reunion
Boggs later described meeting Jocelyn's family as an emotional, heartwarming experience, and said he and Garcia had acted purely out of a desire to help someone in their community rather than for any recognition.
FAQ
How old was Temar Boggs when he helped rescue Jocelyn?
He was 15 years old.
How did Boggs and Garcia find the kidnapper's car?
Boggs said he had a strong feeling about which direction to search and spotted a car behaving suspiciously, then saw Jocelyn inside.
Was the kidnapper caught?
The driver fled after releasing Jocelyn; available information from this account doesn't confirm whether he was later apprehended.