In a disturbing incident that unfolded in Gainesville, Florida, 19-year-old Giovany Rojas-Castro was taken into custody on charges of assaulting and unlawfully detaining a woman for nearly two days. The arrest followed a harrowing series of events that left the victim fearing for her life.

The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office became involved after a concerned friend of the victim reached out. This friend had witnessed a distressing live video showing the victim being subjected to physical abuse by Rojas-Castro. Responding swiftly, a deputy arrived at the scene just as Rojas-Castro was attempting to leave, leading to a traffic stop and subsequent arrest.

According to the victim’s account, her ordeal began when Rojas-Castro became agitated, resulting in her being forcibly confined within her own home for approximately 48 hours. During this period, she suffered physical assaults, including being hit and choked. Her phone was allegedly confiscated, preventing her from seeking help. In a desperate bid for freedom, she managed to send a text message to a friend. However, when she stepped outside to meet her friend, Rojas-Castro reportedly pursued her, forcibly dragging her back indoors. The victim also recounted how her abuser caused significant damage to her property, including punching holes in the walls.

The friend who initially raised the alarm provided the authorities with several videos that substantiated the victim’s allegations. Upon further examination, deputies noted visible damage at the scene, including two holes in the walls and a damaged cabinet, aligning with the victim’s narrative.

The victim’s friend reportedly showed a deputy several videos that corroborated the victim’s account.

The deputy reported that there were two holes in the walls where it appeared Rojas-Castro had punched the wall, and a cabinet was damaged.

Rojas-Castro reportedly gave a fake name at first but later provided his real name. Post Miranda, he was adamant that he had never harmed or hit the victim and said she was the one who had abused him, but when confronted with the video evidence, he reportedly said he did not want her to leave because he was concerned for her safety. The deputy reported that Rojas-Castro “had a hard time explaining his actions to deputies.”

Rojas-Castro has been charged with holding an adult hostage, felony battery, simple battery, and property damage. He has no criminal history, and Judge Jonathan Ramsey ordered him held without bail on the kidnapping charge, pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing. Judge Ramsey set bail at $20,000 on the other charges.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.