An abducted 12-year-old managed to chew through her restraints and escape captivity at an Alabama home, where authorities later discovered the remains of at least two people.
A driver spotted the young victim walking along a road in Dadeville just before 8:30 a.m. on Monday. He picked up the girl and immediately called 911, Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett told reporters during a press conference Tuesday.
She told responding officers she’d been held captive in a nearby residence — where she was restrained to bed posts for about a week — but that she eventually bit through her bonds and fled. Police said the braces on her teeth were damaged during her escape efforts and that her wrists showed marks consistent with being tied up.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by WSFA, the 12-year-old had also been given alcohol to keep her in a “drugged up” state.
Jose Paulino Pascual-Reyes
Detectives believe the girl was abducted around July 24 and that the suspect intended to hurt or sexually abuse her. She had not been reported missing.
A preliminary investigation into the matter led authorities to the mobile home of José Paulino Pascual-Reyes, who was not home at the time. Inside, authorities discovered a pair of decomposing corpses, who have not yet been identified.
A forensic team is currently working on determining how they died.
U.S. Marshals and local police arrested Pascual-Reyes on Monday about 25 miles away in Auburn. He’s facing a count of first-degree kidnapping, with multiple” additional capital murder charges also likely, District Attorney Jeremy Duerr said
No information so far has been released about the 12-year-old girl, including whether or not she knew her captor. While it’s unclear what information she provided police, Abbett describer her as a “hero.”
“We gave her medical attention,” Abbett said. “She is safe now, and so we want to keep her that way.”
With News Wire Services
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