A kidnapped woman in Missouri was finally able to escape her captor — but horrifyingly she says she isn’t the only one who was held in the home…
On Friday morning around 8 a.m., Kansas City police responded to a call near the 300 block of Old Orchard where neighbors say a woman was screaming and crying for help while banging on random doors. She had run out of a home in the neighborhood seemingly in a panic, but no one knew the severity of what was going on until law enforcement arrived.
Excelsior Springs Police Department took the woman to a local hospital where it was reported she was severely malnourished but in stable condition. While being questioned, the unnamed woman said she had been held against her will and sexually assaulted over an extended period of time. It was unclear exactly how long, but Lieutenant Ryan Dowdy said during a press conference reported by KMBC that authorities believe it was “significant” :
“When we made contact with her, it was readily apparent that she had been held against her will for a significant period of time.”
So, so awful. That poor woman…
By Friday evening, it’s reported the victim was discharged from the hospital and reunited with her family, but investigations were only just beginning their search. Around 4 p.m. Friday, the Kansas City Missouri Police Department‘s CSI unit had gotten a search warrant for the home she’d allegedly escaped and began processing the scene, as reported via the Clay County Sheriff‘s Facebook page. Around 9 p.m. the same night, they had made an arrest in relation to the crime.
Related: Suspect In Kidnapping & Murder Of California Family Was AN EMPLOYEE?!
Timothy Haslett Jr. of Excelsior Springs was taken into custody and charged with first degree kidnapping, first degree rape, and second degree assault. It’s unclear if he was allowed bond and no court date has been announced at the time of this writing. But is there only one victim?
According to The Kansas City Star on Friday, the escaped woman told police there were possibly two other victims in the same situation. So far, though, CCSD said in their Friday post there has been no evidence found suggesting there was anyone else there:
“There are rumors on social media that there are additional deceased victims. There is NO EVIDENCE of that at this time.”
It’s scary to think a woman in the midst of all the terrible alleged abuse saw other victims, but now the police can’t find any evidence for them — like they just vanished. Chilling…
KCPD say the investigation is far from over, however. According to The Kansas City Star on Friday, witnesses said police brought in a cadaver dog, but they’re unsure if the canine found anything. A truck was towed away, and neighbors said they saw detectives move a blue barrel out of the home’s basement and into an evidence tent. No official findings have been reported by investigators, though, and they’re urging everyone to stay patient during this “painstaking” investigation. Police Chief Greg Dull said in a statement on Saturday evening that there are “numerous items in the residence that have to be sorted through and it is a slow, painstaking process.” However, he also added
“Additional charges could be forthcoming if evidence of additional crimes is uncovered.”
Just terrible. Our hearts go out to the woman who escaped. We can’t imagine what she went through, but we’re glad she was reunited safely with her loved ones. If there are any other victims, we hope they’re found soon.
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