CHARLES CITY COUNTY, Va. – A Richmond teen found bloody and naked in Charles City, police said, is connected to the recent Philadelphia abduction case.
Video surveillance captured the abduction of Carlesha Freeland-Gaither; a man grabbed her and dragged her down a street in Philadelphia, on Sunday, Nov. 2.
Freeland-Gaither tussled on the ground with her abductor but was forced into a four-door vehicle. Just before the vehicle pulled away, she broke out one of the passenger side windows, police said. Her glasses and cell phone were found dropped onto the road.
On Wednesday, after the victim’s ATM card was used at a bank in Aberdeen, Maryland, an arrest was made. Freeland-Gaither has injuries, but is in “good shape” and “she is talking,” according to FBI special agent in charge Ed Hanko.
Carleesha Freeland-Gaither
Authorities identified the suspect as 37-year-old Delvin Barnes, who is currently held in Jessup, Md. on a warrant based out of Charles City County.
Police confirmed Wednesday night that Barnes, who worked at the Community Pride Supermarket on Mechanicsville Turnpike and has a criminal past in Richmond, was identified as a suspect in the abduction and rape of a Richmond teen. At this time police are not sure if she was abducted from Henrico or Richmond.
A 16- year-old girl was reported missing by her family in Richmond Oct 1, police said. Two days later, on Oct. 3, the teenager showed up at a Charles City County business on Route 106, according to Cpt. Jason Crawley.
The teen was naked, bleeding and covered in burns reeking of bleach and gasoline, Cpt. Crawley said.
When police ran DNA, they got a hit with Barnes, who already had an extensive criminal history in the Richmond and Philadelphia area, police said. That evidence came back on Oct. 28, police said.
PHOTO: Delvin Barnes
Barnes had a recent July 14 charge in Richmond court, for a bomb burn threat that was dropped. Just four days before DNA would peg Barnes as a suspect in the sexual assault and abduction of a teenager, his case in Richmond was finalized before a judge.
CBS 6 asked police why no public notification was distributed that Barnes’ was a wanted man. Police said strategically they did not want to alert Barnes that they were actively looking for him. They also wanted to protect the victim.
Then on Nov. 2, Freeland-Gaither was seen on video being kidnapped in Philadelphia. Law enforcement sources tell CBS 6 that family phoned in a tip that the car shown in the Philadelphia surveillance video belonged to Barnes.
The Virginia charges against Barnes are attempted capital murder, abduction, forcible rape, malicious wounding, malicious wounding with a chemical, and intimate object penetration.
The business where the teen was found was two miles away from Barnes' home.
CBS 6 reporter Chelsea Rarrick spoke with Barnes’ father. He did not wish to do an on camera interview, but said he "is glad the victim is found," and that his thoughts were with her and her family.
"He's a vicious predator, he's off the streets and hopefully he will be in jail for the rest of his life," said the Philadelphia Police Commissioner at a press conference earlier Wednesday.
