A 12-year-old girl in North Carolina escaped from an alleged kidnapper, Daniel Gear, 38, who reportedly forced her into his truck. The incident occurred on August 16 when Gear allegedly abducted the girl while she was with his niece at his home. According to an arrest warrant, Gear took the girl without parental consent with the intent to terrorize her and unlawfully restrained her.
The Harnett County Sheriff's Office reported that Gear and his truck were missing from his home in Lillington, prompting a manhunt that utilized drones and K-9 units. The girl managed to escape while Gear was parked at a DMV office in Erwin, approximately 11 miles from Lillington. She flagged down a driver, Jennifer Maxwell, who described the girl as being distressed and without shoes.
Maxwell called 911 after the girl informed her that she had been kidnapped. The girl recounted that Gear had woken her in the night and forced her into his vehicle, subsequently making her walk through a wooded area while he physically restrained her. Approximately seven hours after her escape, deputies arrested Gear in a nearby wooded area. He faces charges of first-degree kidnapping and assault on a female, with a bond set at $2.5 million. A court hearing is scheduled for September 1.