A 12-year-old girl escaped her alleged abductor after he forced her into his truck in North Carolina, authorities reported. Daniel Gear, 38, has been charged with first-degree kidnapping and assault on a female in connection with the incident.
According to an arrest warrant, Gear allegedly abducted the girl without parental consent on Aug. 16. The Harnett County Sheriff's Office stated that Gear initially took the child from his home in Lillington, where she was reportedly with his niece. Investigators discovered Gear and his pickup truck missing from his residence around 1 p.m. that day.
Law enforcement, including deputies and Erwin police, initiated a search for Gear, utilizing drones and K-9 units. The girl reportedly escaped when Gear parked his truck at a DMV office in Erwin, a town approximately 11 miles southeast of Lillington.
A witness, Jennifer Maxwell, told WRAL that the girl ran out of the woods near the DMV, appearing distressed and shoeless. Maxwell stated the girl told her she had been kidnapped and described being woken up in the middle of the night and forced into a vehicle. The girl also reported being made to walk for hours and being pushed and grabbed.
Maxwell immediately contacted 911. Approximately seven hours after the girl's escape, deputies located Gear in a wooded area along U.S. Highway 421 and took him into custody.
Gear is being held in the Harnett County Detention Center on a $2.5 million secured bond. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for Sept. 1.