The American tourist who was arrested and nearly lynched after being accused of sexually abusing a boy on a balcony in Bogotá, Colombia, was reportedly trying to save the child from choking, according to updated reports.
Authorities now say the man was performing the Heimlich manoeuvre on his adopted son after the child began choking on food. However, his actions were misinterpreted by onlookers, who believed he was abusing the boy.
The incident began on Saturday, June 13, when a woman in northern Bogotá recorded a video that appeared to show the Texas man holding a child on a balcony.
In the viral clip, the woman can be heard shouting, “He’s abusing the child, let him go!” Several other witnesses also called for police intervention.
The man briefly looked toward the crowd before taking the child back inside the apartment.
Within minutes, an angry mob had gathered outside the apartment complex, with some reportedly attempting to force their way into the building. Protesters blocked the lobby to prevent the man from leaving before authorities arrived.
Police responded to the scene and arrested the 36-year-old American on suspicion of child abuse, escorting him through the hostile crowd. A video circulating online showed officers leading him out of his Airbnb accommodation.
The man was initially accused of abusing a seven-year-old boy. However, investigators later concluded that he had been attempting to save his adopted son, who was choking on food.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro addressed the incident, saying the evidence indicates the American did not abuse any of his adopted children.
“I must notify Colombian society because my commitment is to the truth, that the American citizen of Texan origin, captured in an apartment in northern Bogotá, apparently did not violate any of his adopted children in Colombia,” Petro said.
“He took him out to the balcony because he was choking after eating improperly. The images misled Colombians, who rushed to defend the child. If these findings are confirmed, justice must fully restore his rights as a human being.”
Authorities found three children inside the apartment during the investigation. Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán said they were taken to a medical facility for evaluation.
Colombia’s state child protection agency later confirmed that all three children had been placed in its care.
Petro also argued that the children had become victims of the public reaction and warned about the growing influence of artificial intelligence and manipulated content.
Referring to the incident, he said it demonstrated how easily people could be deceived by misleading images and warned that AI-generated misinformation could be exploited to manipulate public opinion, particularly during Colombia’s election period.
“I believe we have turned someone who is not a paedophile into one,” the president said.
According to Colombian news outlet Noticias Caracol, an official report from the prosecutor’s office concluded there had been “no sexual abuse and no physical violence,” and investigators found “no evidence indicating criminal conduct.”
