Denton County: Man charged in kidnapping of Little Elm teen

DENTON COUNTY, Texas — A semi-truck driver based mostly out of southeast Dallas has been arrested and charged with kidnapping after detectives discovered a lacking Little Elm teen in the cab of his automobile, officers introduced.

Richard S. Laird, of San Antonio, has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and served with 9 extra warrants for sexual assault of a baby, the Little Elm Police Department (LEPD) stated.

According to LEPD, a 16-year-old lady was reported lacking from her dwelling on Feb. 12 in the South Paloma Creek space.

During an in depth search that included foot patrols, drones and monitoring canines, police stated the canines tracked the lacking teen to a location not removed from her dwelling and misplaced the scent. LEPD stated from there, detectives believed she bought right into a automobile, so that they issued a lacking/endangered individuals bulletin to regulation enforcement businesses throughout the nation.

Late Feb. 13, Little Elm detectives obtained a cellphone quantity the lacking teen had been in contact with up till the time she had reportedly left her dwelling.

Through cellphone information, cameras and numerous different investigative instruments, detectives stated they have been in a position to determine the suspect as Laird.

LEPD stated Laird had been in communication with the teen on-line earlier than she disappeared.

On Valentine’s Day, LEPD detectives together with the Dallas Police Department have been in a position to find the semi-truck operated by Laird in Dallas and located the lacking teen contained in the truck’s cab, officers say. As authorities have been helping the teen, Laird returned to the automobile and was taken into custody.

Laird is at the moment being held in the Denton County jail and has a $500,000 bond. He has not but been arraigned.

The teen was reunited together with her household after being examined and medically cleared.

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