‘I’ve been kidnapped,’ a 12-year-old girl told a North Carolina woman after running from the woods, crying, barefoot, with scratches on her arms

A 12-year-old girl escaped a terrifying situation in North Carolina after she says she was kidnapped from a sleepover and forced into the woods. As reported by Daily Mail, the young girl emerged onto the roadside along US Highway 421 in Erwin on Sunday, where she was spotted by a local healthcare assistant named Jennifer Maxwell.

Maxwell was driving home from work at 1:20 PM when she noticed the girl running out of the woods and down an embankment. The child was barefoot and had visible scratches on her arms. Maxwell watched as the girl dropped into a ditch and began crying hysterically. Although she was initially unsure of what she was witnessing, Maxwell decided to stop her car because she feared no one else would help.

When Maxwell rolled down her window to check on the child, the girl revealed the severity of the situation. Maxwell recounted the interaction, saying, “I rolled down my window, and I was like, ‘Baby, are you okay?’ And she was like, ‘No, I’ve been kidnapped.’ And I was like, ‘Are you serious?’ She was like, ‘Yes, I’m serious. I was kidnapped.'”

How the kidnapping and search unfolded

The girl explained that she had been at a sleepover at her best friend’s house next door when she was woken up by 38-year-old Daniel Francis Gear, the uncle of her friend. Gear allegedly forced the girl into his truck and drove her deep into the woods. According to the girl, they had been walking for hours, and Gear kept pushing her by placing his hand on her shoulder to keep her moving.

Maxwell immediately called 911 and helped the girl into her vehicle to keep her safe. She later guided police to the area where she first encountered the child, and they found Gear’s truck parked behind a DMV office. The search for Gear lasted seven hours, involving both drones and K-9 officers, before police captured him around 8:15 PM on Sunday. A similar escape unfolded when a 16-year-old girl in Michigan was kidnapped on her way to school.

The situation took a difficult turn for Maxwell, who was involved in a car accident while returning from giving her statement to the police. She sustained lacerations, swelling, and bruises during the crash and was transported to the hospital. While there, she had a brief reunion with the girl she had rescued. Maxwell noted, “I guess she told her parents who I was, and they came over and they thanked me.”

Gear is now facing charges of first-degree kidnapping and assault. He has not publicly responded to the allegations. He is currently being held at the Harnett County Detention Center on a $2.5 million secured bond. Court records indicate he is 5-foot-9 and weighs 240 pounds. Neighbors in the Lillington community expressed surprise, as Gear was largely a mystery to those living nearby.

Justin Powers, a neighbor, mentioned that nobody really knew who he was because he worked from home and rarely left the house. Gear is scheduled to appear in court again on September 1. Reflecting on the event, Maxwell expressed her gratitude for being in the right place at the right time. She stated, “I just thank God I was there. And I thank God she got away, not just that I was there.” For Maxwell, who is raising her own godchildren, the incident was deeply impactful.

She noted, “It’s just devastating, you know. I have three kids who are now grown and I’m raising my godchildren, and you just don’t know what could have happened.”