Authorities arrested a 38-year-old man after the 12-year-old escaped from a wooded area and was found near a highway.
LILLINGTON, N.C. — A 12-year-old girl escaped after she was allegedly taken from a friend’s home during a sleepover and driven to a wooded area, leading to the arrest of a 38-year-old North Carolina man on kidnapping and assault charges, authorities said.
Harnett County Sheriff Wayne Coats said deputies arrested Daniel Francis Gear after the girl was found Sunday near U.S. Highway 421. Gear is charged with first-degree kidnapping and assault on a female. The allegations have not been proven in court, and publicly available reports did not indicate that Gear had entered a plea.
The girl had been visiting a friend at a home in Lillington when Gear allegedly woke her and told her to get into his truck, according to accounts given to local news organizations. Neighbors told WNCN that Gear was the uncle of the girl’s friend and lived at the home. Coats told WRAL that Gear had no relationship with the 12-year-old herself.
Investigators allege Gear drove the girl to a wooded area and forced her out of the vehicle. Arrest warrant details reported by Law&Crime accuse Gear of physically restraining the girl and pushing her to the ground. The girl eventually managed to get away and ran toward U.S. Highway 421.
Jennifer Maxwell told WRAL that she was driving home from work Sunday afternoon when she saw the girl emerge from the woods near the road. Maxwell said the child appeared frightened and distressed. She stopped and spoke with the girl, who told her that she had been kidnapped.
Maxwell then drove the girl to the Erwin Police Department, where officers arranged for her to receive assistance. The girl was taken to a hospital for evaluation and was later released. Authorities have not publicly identified her because she is a minor. Reports said she was recovering with her family.
The girl’s account triggered a search for Gear. Deputies located his vehicle in the area but initially found no sign of him, according to WRAL. Authorities searched the surrounding area for several hours before finding Gear along a wooded area near U.S. Highway 421 later Sunday night.
The Harnett County Sheriff’s Office had described Gear as armed and dangerous during the search. He was taken into custody without any additional publicly reported injuries. Local reporting said the search lasted about seven hours before deputies located him.
Gear remained in the Harnett County Jail on a $2.5 million bond in the latest reports reviewed. His next court appearance was scheduled for Sept. 1. The charges against him are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation remained active as authorities continued reviewing the circumstances surrounding the girl’s removal from the home and what happened before she escaped. Officials had not announced additional arrests or charges in connection with the case as of Thursday.
Author note: Last updated August 20, 2026.