Man, 38, Accused of Kidnapping Niece’s 12-Year-Old Friend Who Eventually Escaped: ‘No Child Deserves to Go Through That’

Daniel Francis Gear, 38, was arrested and charged with first-degree kidnapping and assault on a female after a 12-year-old girl, who was visiting his teenage niece, went missing in North Carolina.

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Daniel Francis Gear, 38, was arrested and charged with first-degree kidnapping and assault on a female in North Carolina

His arrest came after police searched for a 12-year-old girl, who disappeared and was later found alive on a highway

Gear is being held on a $2.5 million bond

A man in North Carolina is facing kidnapping charges after a 12-year-old girl went missing.

Daniel Francis Gear, 38, was arrested on Sunday, Aug. 16, and charged with first degree kidnapping and assault on a female, according to prison records viewed by PEOPLE.

The Harnett County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) began investigating after the girl and Gear, along with his pickup truck, went missing from a home in Lillington just before 1 p.m. on Aug. 16, according to local outlets WNCN and WXII.

Deputies and the Erwin Police Department launched a search for the pre-teen using drones and K-9 officers. Authorities also sent out an alert searching for Gear, who was described as someone who “has warrants for kidnapping and potentially armed and dangerous.”

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The 12-year-old girl was eventually found wandering the side of the road on Highway 421 after managing to break free and flagging down a driver in a vehicle, according to WNCN.

As for Gear, his pickup truck was found in the area empty. The 38-year-old was eventually tracked down to a wood line along the highway and arrested, per WNCN and WRAL.

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PEOPLE has reached out to the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office for comment.

Sheriff Wayne Coats told WRAL that the girl had been at Gear’s home prior to the incident visiting a friend. Neighbors also told WNCN that the 12-year-old would often hang out with the suspect’s teenage niece inside his home, the location of the alleged kidnapping took place.

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Gear is suspected of unlawfully restraining the girl and moving her without the consent of a legal guardian, according to court records obtained by WNCN and WXII. He also allegedly assaulted her by pushing her to the ground and physically restraining her, per the outlets.

The girl was taken to the hospital after the incident and is now recovering with her family, according to WRAL.

Susan Powers, a neighbor and the parent of one of the 12-year-old’s friends, reacted to the case in an interview with WNCN.

“My daughter, she’s 14, and when she found out, she was, of course, really sad because they’re really close,” Powers said. “It’s just, it was a sad, sad event. I feel for her parents. And, you know, they’re our friends.”

“And you would never think that would hit this close to home,” she added. “You know, and no child deserves to go through that.”

Gear is being held at the Harnett County Detention Center on a $2.5 million secured bond, according to prison records.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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