A 12-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted from a sleepover in Lillington, North Carolina, was discovered by a passing motorist after she ran from a wooded area. The girl was found on Sunday around 1:20 p.m. along US Highway 421 in Erwin, about 45 miles south of Raleigh.
Jennifer Maxwell, a healthcare provider, was driving home when she saw the girl emerge from the woods. Maxwell described the child as crying, barefoot, and visibly scratched on her arms and legs, indicating she had gone through thick brush. When asked if she was okay, the girl responded that she had been kidnapped. Maxwell immediately called 911 and assisted the girl into her vehicle before guiding authorities to the location where she found her.
The girl had reportedly been sleeping at her best friend's home, located next door to her own. She told Maxwell that she was woken up by Daniel Francis Gear, 38, identified as her friend's uncle, who allegedly then forced her into his truck and made her walk with him for hours into the woods.
Gear's truck was later found parked behind a DMV office near where the girl was discovered. Authorities launched a manhunt utilizing drones and K-9 units, and Gear was apprehended around 8:15 p.m. on Sunday, approximately seven hours after the girl was found.
Gear has been charged with first-degree kidnapping and assault. Court records indicate he is 5-foot-9 and weighs 240 pounds. Neighbors described Gear as largely unknown in their community, with one stating he rarely left his house and worked from home. He is being held at the Harnett County Detention Center on a $2.5 million secured bond and is scheduled for his next court appearance on September 1.