A teenager reported missing from North Carolina weeks ago was found hidden beneath a trap door in a man’s house in Kentucky on Christmas Day, with police believing she had been kidnapped and raped, according to multiple reports.
The 16-year-old girl was brought to safety by police who were called to the home of Zackary Jones, 34, in the town of Kings Mountain following a domestic violence call that was made by his mother, according to Fox 56. The house, on Robertstown Road, is about 40 miles south of Lexington and nearly 500 miles away from the girl’s home.
The girl, of Fayetteville, was reported missing on Dec. 6 and was found inside a trap door hidden under a rug in a bedroom, according to Fox 56, referring to an arrest citation. Officers described her as very “high” and she told police Jones had been having sex with her, choking her and assaulting her.
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She has since returned to her family.
Jones has been hit with more than 30 different charges, including rape, unlawful imprisonment, resisting arrest and illegal sex act with a person under the age of 18.
According to the citation obtained by Fox 56, Jones allegedly pretended to be a 19-year-old to get in contact with the teen over the internet.
They met up in North Carolina, where he told her he was 25. But after getting to Lincoln County, she learned he was 34.
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Jones allegedly then threatened to shoot or kill her several times and demanded she tell people she was 18. She told authorities he had a .22 caliber pistol that was retrieved from the scene.
It is unclear if members of Jones’ family were aware of the teen’s real age, or if they knew he was allegedly holding her against her will.
Jones’ mother had called the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office about an altercation between her son and his “girlfriend.”
When members of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene on Christmas Day, only Jones was found inside the home.
“Mr. Jones had told [officers] that [the juvenile] had fled the scene,” Lincoln County Sheriff Shawn Hines said, according to WHIOTV7.
“After doing some investigation, they realized she was there and there was a room cut out in the floor that you access through the floor and it was covered with a rug. That is where the juvenile was located at.”
The citation alleges that after Jones was arrested, he admitted to engaging in sexual activity with the teen at least 10 times and admitted giving her crack cocaine.
He denied choking her, but officers said she had visible marks on her neck.
