The man accused of kidnapping an 11-year-old girl in Springfield last week appeared in court Wednesday morning and was ordered held without bail while he undergoes a 20-day psychiatric evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital.
Miguel Angel Rodriguez, 24, is facing charges of kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon, and witness intimidation for allegedly grabbing Charlotte Moccia and forcing her into a blue Honda Civic on Jan. 15.
A not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf at his arraignment in Springfield District Court last week.
When Rodriguez appeared in court Wednesday morning for a dangerousness hearing, he was wearing an orange shirt and khaki-colored pants and his hands were cuffed behind his back. The judge committed him to a 20-day period of observation at Bridgewater State Hospital and ordered him to be held without right to bail pending further action by the court.
His next court date was scheduled for Feb. 11.
The kidnapping of Moccia was first reported to Springfield police by citizens who witnessed her abduction on the afternoon of Jan. 15. Springfield police issued a citywide alert around 4:30 p.m. and an Amber Alert was issued that evening, officials said.
Authorities said Amanda Disley and her husband spotted the blue Honda Civic on Berkshire Street and saw someone being pushed down in the back seat, and began following the car while talking with a Springfield police 911 dispatcher.
Disley and her husband posted a video of their pursuit of the suspect’s car onto Disley’s Facebook account and provided police with the license plate number of the vehicle, which helped narrow down the search. After the Civic was spotted by motorists traveling east on the Massachusetts Turnpike around 7:15 p.m., State Police troopers were able to surround the car, rescue the child, and take Rodriguez into custody at gunpoint, officials said.
Moccia told investigators that Rodriguez had pointed a knife at her and threatened to kill her if she screamed or tried to escape, authorities said.
A knife was found in the driver’s side door when it was stopped on the Pike in Brimfield, according to State Police.
The girl was later reunited with her parents, according to Springfield police.
Emily Sweeney can be reached at emily.sweeney@globe.com. Follow her @emilysweeney and on Instagram @emilysweeney22.