Family claims man accused of attempted kidnapping in Gaithersburg has mental health issues
Man arrested for attempting to kidnap child at bus stop in Gaithersburg: police
A 30-year-old man is facing charges after attempting to kidnap a child at a bus stop in Gaithersburg. According to Montgomery County police, just before 8:00 a.m. Monday morning — Jamaal Germany allegedly grabbed a child on Towne Crest Drive near Washington Grove Lane.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - The parents of a Gaithersburg man charged with the attempted kidnapping of a middle school student at a bus stop told FOX 5 Tuesday they believe this was not a predator situation.
Instead, they're saying their son was going through a "mental health crisis."
Jamaal Germany, who is actually 31-years-old according to his parents, was due in court for a 1 p.m. arraignment on Tuesday.
A judge ordered Germany held for a mental health evaluation to be done.
Germany's parents told FOX 5 after court their son has suffered with serious mental health issues for about 14-years. At different points of his life, they said he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and personality disorder.
"The system is failing," they repeatedly said, describing complications trying to get their adult son mental health assistance and issues being notified when their son is released from commitment. The two told FOX 5 Germany has two children of his own and claim he’s never hurt a child, while also expressing concern for the middle school student involved.
Featured
Gaithersburg man arrested for attempting to kidnap child at bus stop
A 30-year-old man is facing charges after attempting to kidnap a child at a bus stop in Gaithersburg.
The day before, Montgomery County police arrested and charged Germany in an attempted kidnapping. Officials said at around 7:20 a.m. Monday, Germany tried to pull a Redland Middle School student toward his apartment, located about 20 ft. away from a bus stop on Town Crest Drive in Gaithersburg.
Several students were also waiting for their bus at the time. Police said those students intervened and helped the boy get away.
About four hours later, court documents revealed police responded to Town Crest Drive for the report of a suspicious person and later located Germany by East Diamond and South Summit Avenues. Asked if he had any problems with kids earlier, those same court documents quote Germany as having responded, "I gotta look out for [the attempted kidnapping victim], he a good kid," and, "I got a dollar for him and I gotta make sure that he good."
Police also said Germany made "several other incoherent statements."
Officials said the student had boarded his school bus crying, but did not say anything to the bus driver until they arrived at the school. Redland Middle School staff then alerted the schools' Community Engagement Officer.
While Montgomery County Public Schools described the attempted kidnapping victim as "unharmed," authorities also noted in court documents, "the writer [officer] had to offer several breaks in order for [the juvenile victim] to be able to compose himself," when the student was asked by an investigator to recount the incident.
Germany is due again in court on March 28 at 1 p.m.