12-Year-Old Kidnapped During Sleepover Escapes After Good Samaritan Finds Her in Woods

A 12-year-old girl staying at a neighbor’s house in Lillington was allegedly abducted by Daniel Gear, the uncle of her friend, during a sleepover on Sunday. Gear reportedly forced her into his vehicle and drove toward a wooded area, eventually making her exit the truck near an Erwin Department of Motor Vehicles office. The girl escaped, wandering barefoot and scratched, until driver Jennifer Maxwell saw her on US Highway 421 and offered assistance.

The child disclosed that Gear had pushed and grabbed her, forcing her to walk for hours through brush. Maxwell and the girl went to a local police station, and Gear was arrested around 8:15 p.m. after a seven-hour manhunt that used drones and K9 teams. He faces first-degree kidnapping and assault charges, with a $2.5 million bond set, and his next court date is scheduled for Sept. 1.