Prosecutors say an attempted kidnapping suspect Jack Doshay’s father tried to prevent his son’s therapist from reporting him to law enforcement. NBC 7’s Rory Devine reports.
The father of an attempted kidnapping suspect tried to prevent the man’s therapist from turning his name over to authorities, prosecutors say.
Jack Doshay, 22, is in jail on a $2.5 million bond, charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment with violence and child abuse after investigators say he tried to carry a 7-year-old girl off the campus of Skyline Elementary School. Sheriff’s officials say he may not be able to post bail until Monday.
Doshay became a person of interest after his father Glenn, a prominent San Diego philanthropist, spoke to his son's therapist about him. The father apparently thought what he said was confidential.
According to a court document, Doshay’s father told the therapist he believed Jack may be responsible for the attempted abduction. He also said his son may have done something similar to in the past. Doshay’s defense attorney Paul Pfingst said Glenn’s statement was misrepresented.
“I don’t know what it says in the arrest warrant, but the father did not say that,” said Pfingst.
During a bail hearing Thursday, prosecutor Ryan Saunders said Doshay’s father hired an attorney to prevent the therapist from reporting what was said to sheriff’s detectives.
Psychiatrist Clark Smith, who is not affiliated with this case, told NBC 7 Friday that the therapist, as a mandated reporter, did the right thing.
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“People need to know when they go to therapy they have privacy and confidentiality on the one hand,” said Smith. “On the other hand, the public needs to be protected.”
If a therapist has concerns that someone might harm themselves or others, they are required to report it to authorities, Smith said. Therapists must also report all cases of child abuse, even if authorities already know about it, according to Dr. Rochelle Perper, a member of the San Diego Psychological Association’s ethics committee.
“Heaven forbid this kind of behavior could lead to somebody dying, and no one wants to have that on their conscience,” said Smith.
Prosecutors say they were able to tie Doshay to the crime at Skyline Elementary because his DNA was found on the tape used to try to silence the young girl.
If released on bail, Doshay would have to enter a private, in-patient psychiatric facility and wear an GPS-monitoring ankle bracelet, the judge said Thursday.
