Miami police arrested a 22-year-old man Wednesday after they say he targeted a 16-year-old girl on her way to school, grabbed her, and made crude sexual advances behind a Burger King just off West Flagler Street.
According to investigators, the encounter happened around 11:10 a.m. Monday near 2390 W. Flagler St., in the rear of the restaurant’s parking lot. Officers say they tracked down and arrested Keldon Figueroa the next day.
Police: Teen Grabbed in Burger King Parking Lot
The City of Miami arrest report states that Figueroa approached the teen as she walked to school, grabbed her wrist, "touched her buttocks" and repeatedly asked, "Do you want to f***?" according to WSVN.
The victim told detectives the man was holding a key between his fingers, which she feared could be used as a weapon. She said she "had to act clueless" until he finally let her go and took off.
How Detectives Tracked Him Down
Surveillance cameras at the Burger King captured parts of the encounter and helped police zero in on a vehicle tied to the suspect, Local 10 reported.
Detectives traced that vehicle to Figueroa’s employer, then found him at his workplace. The Miami Police Felony Apprehension Team took him into custody, brought him to the department’s Special Victims Unit, and later booked him into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Charges and Court Status
Police say Figueroa was already on probation in a separate case, and his probation officer’s GPS monitoring data placed him in the area at the time of the incident, according to WSVN.
A judge found probable cause and set his bond at $20,000. Figueroa faces counts of attempted kidnapping and battery and is expected to appear for a bond hearing.
What the Charges Mean
Under Florida law, kidnapping is a first-degree felony with some of the toughest penalties on the books, while battery is defined separately and is typically a first-degree misdemeanor unless it is aggravated or repeated.
The relevant statutes are outlined by the Florida Senate in Chapter 787 on kidnapping and Section 784.03 on battery, which spell out the legal elements and potential classifications for those offenses.
A Note for Families
Authorities say witness video and tips from the public helped back up the teen’s account. Anyone with additional information or footage from the area is urged to contact Miami police, according to Local 10.
Police and safety advocates continue to press the basics for students and parents: stick to well-lit routes, walk with friends when possible, and report any suspicious contact right away. In this case, quick reporting and community help appear to have played a key role in getting a suspect off the street.
