The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
Investigators used DNA evidence recovered from a wooded area to identify a Tennessee man accused of abducting a 10-year-old girl from her home.
According to reports, the girl was taken from her bedroom after the suspect allegedly removed an air-conditioning unit from the window. He reportedly brought her outside and into the woods, where she was allegedly restrained with a belt. The man also reportedly held a knife at her throat and threatened to rape her.
The girl eventually got away and went to a nearby residence. She used their doorbell camera to try to get someone’s attention, but the suspect allegedly found her and began choking her behind a neighboring apartment.
Another person drove up during the confrontation and tried to stop it by honking the horn and yelling. The girl’s aunt then came outside with a spiked bat. The suspect ran from the area.
According to reports, just before 1:00 AM, a neighbor had been awakened by what sounded like screaming. They reported that they saw the girl running toward her aunt’s home. Emergency responders later took the child to a hospital.
The investigation produced several items from the wooded area, including the belt they believed was used during the incident, and a few of the suspect’s personal belongings. The items were sent to the crime lab for testing. Rapid DNA processing reportedly produced a match to the suspect.
Authorities said investigators from the TBI, FBI, Dyer County Sheriff’s Department and Newbern Police Department worked together on the case. The suspect had reportedly been considered a person of interest because he was involved in other incidents.
The 30-year-old man was taken into custody Wednesday evening. He was charged with two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, aggravated burglary and attempted rape of a child.
Detectives later interviewed man, and investigators said he gave inconsistent answers to their inquiries.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.