CHARLOTTE — A woman who was kidnapped during a violent crime spree in Charlotte is sharing her harrowing experience after escaping from her captor.
The woman, who was taken from her home at gunpoint by Joseph Andrade, feared she would never see her family again.
Andrade, who was in the midst of a deadly crime spree, forced her to drive towards Florida before she managed to escape.
The woman recounted that she had just returned home with her 9-year-old son when Andrade broke in.
“A man broke into our home and held my husband, my nine-year-old son, and me at gunpoint. It was the most terrifying moment of our lives,” she explained.
He forced her into her own car at gunpoint, threatening her life because she had him on camera.
During the ordeal, she remained calm, attributing her composure to her faith and her experience watching crime shows.
“Even in that fear, I could feel God’s presence with me. He was in control the entire time, keeping me calm and steady even with a man holding me hostage. I know that kind of peace could only come from God,” she elaborated.
She eventually seized an opportunity to escape when the car slowed down in traffic, unlocking the door and fleeing to safety in a nearby restaurant.
The kidnapping appeared to be a random act, as Andrade was seen reloading his gun on a neighbor’s porch just before the incident.
Joseph Andrade, originally from Ocala, Florida, had a history of arrests in Marion County.
He was shot and killed by CMPD after firing at officers in Wesley Heights, bringing an end to his crime spree.
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