Shorewood Kidnapper Jailed; Girl, Age 13, Found Unharmed: Sheriff

SHOREWOOD — Will County Sheriff's officials announced that 47-year-old Shorewood resident Richard Caragol is now lodged in the Will County Jail facing two counts of kidnapping and one count of obstruction of justice. Caragol's latest arrest happened after Wednesday morning's custody hearing at the Will County Courthouse before Judge David Garcia.

According to the Will County Sheriff's Office, during the hearing, Caragol was issued paperwork from Judge Garcia instructing Caragol to hand over custody of his 13-year-old daughter to the child’s mother.

The order further stated that if Caragol refused to return the child, that the police/sheriff’s department shall return the child to the mother. In addition, the order granted the mother physical care and custody of the child, and Caragol’s parenting time was suspended because Caragol “poses a serious endangerment to the minor child.”

According to police, around 3 p.m., Caragol returned to the Will County Courthouse with his daughter, and he went into the Circuit Clerk’s Office trying to obtain an order of protection.

Court personnel later saw Caragol inside Judge Garcia’s courtroom regarding obtaining an order of protection. Caragol’s daughter was not with him at that time. Judge Garcia denied the motion for the order of protection.

Once the order was denied, Caragol immediately left the courtroom and deputies tried to stop Caragol outside the courthouse, but Caragol refused to obey Judge Garcia’s order to return to his courtroom and left the area.

Deputies did not see Caragol’s daughter with him during this interaction.

At that point, Judge Garcia issued another court order which stated that the “sheriff’s department is directed to remove the minor child from Richard Caragol’s possession. In the event that Richard Caragol does not open the door to his residence, the sheriff’s department shall use reasonable force to enter the premises.”

The Will County Sheriff’s Office and the Shorewood Police Department arrived at Caragol’s residence in the 800 block of Woodland Drive in Shorewood to find Caragol and to take his 13-year-old daughter into protective custody per the court order.

Caragol advised members of the Will County Sheriff’s Office that he was not home and refused to provide his location. Personnel advised Caragol that the door of the residence would be breached if he did not comply with police orders to exit and abide with the court order.

Members with the Will County Sheriff’s Office breached the front door of the house, attempting to check on the welfare of the child. Caragol was taken into custody without incident, and the 13-year-old girl was inside the residence unharmed.

"The Will County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Shorewood Police Department for their assistance in this matter," the agency posted on Facebook.