Illegal immigrant couple accused of trying to kidnap children

FOR THE RECORD

DONNA | TEACHER CHARGED

A middle school teacher who was on paid suspension was charged Thursday with two counts of distributing harmful material to a minor, according to jail records.

Adolfo Davila De Leon, a teacher at Veterans Middle School in Donna, had been on paid suspension since April 14, said Roberto Loredo, the Donna school district superintendent.

Loredo said Friday he did not know the details of why Davila was charged.

Loredo and Donna school district police refused to release the probable cause affidavit for Davila's arrest Friday night. The document is considered public record under Texas law.

Davila was being held Friday at the Hidalgo County Jail in lieu of a $1,000 bond. A judge reduced his bond Friday from $20,000.

PEÑITAS | ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING

An illegal immigrant couple who allegedly attempted to kidnap three children appeared in court Friday.

Honduran national Martha Amalia Gomez, 36, and Mexican national Jose Valera, 41, told police they stopped the children as they got off the school bus Thursday afternoon on Tom Gill Road to simply ask for directions.

Police, however, said the couple motioned for the children to get in their car before the children's mother came out of the house. The couple then fled about 4:15 p.m., said Peñitas police Officer Emily Melendez.

Later that day, someone saw a report about the incident on the TV news, called police and led them to the corner of Farm-to-Market Road 1427 and Maribel Road where the couple was found. Police brought them in for questioning and then officially arrested them that night.

They were charged with criminal intent kidnapping and each received a bond of $40,000, Melendez said.
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Monitor reporter Sean Gaffney compiled this report.