Another Bad Headline for Jeannette Garcia: Avondale Councilmember Faces Kidnapping Lawsuit

A lawsuit filed November 14 in Maricopa County Superior Court alleges Jeannette Garcia, a councilmember in Avondale, AZ, propositioned a male coworker for sex and then abducted his 14-year-old daughter after he rejected her advances.

According to the complaint, filed by an anonymous father, “John Doe”, and his daughter, “Jane Doe,” the night in question followed a 2024 election celebration at a restaurant in Goodyear attended by employees of Turning Point, a conservative political organization. At the time, Garcia served as the daughter’s father’s supervisor through Turning Point. The suit claims Garcia was heavily intoxicated that evening, repeatedly made sexual overtures toward the father, and offered him a job in exchange for intimacy. When he refused and left the restaurant, he later discovered his daughter was missing from home.

The father says that deputies from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) told him the daughter was “safe” and in Garcia’s custody. According to the complaint, Garcia, along with two other people, one identified as another Turning Point employee, had transported the child while intoxicated. The lawsuit alleges this constituted false imprisonment or kidnapping, as the father never granted consent for the child to be taken. He was unable to reclaim his daughter until the next day at noon. The girl reportedly suffered severe emotional trauma, retreating socially, refusing school, and suffering academically.

The defendants named in the suit include Garcia, the other adult involved, the organization Turning Point, the City of Avondale (on grounds of vicarious liability), and MCSO deputies who are accused of aiding and abetting the alleged unlawful taking. The suit lists claims of false imprisonment, negligence, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and civil conspiracy.

This case brings a stark contrast between political provocation and criminal allegations. Earlier in 2025, Garcia’s public labeling of Tom Hanks as a “pedo” triggered a formal ethics reprimand by the Avondale City Council. Garcia claimed she meant to use the Spanish word for “fart,” not “pedophile,” but the council condemned the remark.

At this point Garcia and her attorneys have not issued public responses to the lawsuit, and the city of Avondale declined to comment. The sheriff’s office likewise has yet to respond to requests for any official incident report related to the allegations.

The coming days could be consequential for Avondale and its leaders. If the allegations hold up under court scrutiny, this could trigger broad civil liability and serious questions about supervisory conduct, organizational responsibility, and law enforcement accountability.