Woman Abducted From Germantown Returns Home Safe
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A woman who was abducted off a Philadelphia street and then found alive three days later is now back home with her family, and the suspected kidnapper, sources say, has reportedly confessed to the abduction.
Twenty-two-year-old Carlesha Freeland-Gaither arrived home with her family early Thursday morning, a day after she was safely rescued in Jessup, Maryland.
"Carlesha said to thank everybody that was out there," her cousin Cinquetta Barfield said on her behalf. "The news, the media, the one that reported it, that called the cops twice, the ATF, the FBI, Northwest Detectives. She said thank you so much. Without you, we couldn't have had her back and that was the most important thing."
Freeland-Gaither was forced into a car while walking in the 100 block of West Coulter Street in Germantown late Sunday evening. A search ensued and she was found alive Wednesday in Jessup, along with her alleged abductor, 37-year-old Delvin Barnes.
Police and the FBI tracked Barnes down after they released surveillance video of him allegedly using Carlesha's ATM card as well as video of the suspect inside an Acme on Roosevelt Boulevard.
WATCH: New Details Released On Germantown Abduction Suspect
"Right from the night of the kidnapping, the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI have been working tirelessly to try to solve this case," said Ed Hanko, special agent in charge of the FBI Philadelphia division at a press conference Wednesday night. "With the help of the media and many, many citizens who called in tips, we were able to identify this individual, identify his car, and track it into Maryland."
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Authorities say a task force from the Baltimore FBI office located the vehicle in Jessup. Hanko said when the subject exited the vehicle, he was apprehended, and that's when Freeland-Gaither was found.
WATCH: Details On How Federal Agents Made Arrest In Germantown Abduction Case
She was taken to a hospital where she was treated for some minor injuries and released. She and her family were then escorted back to Philadelphia by police.
KYW's Mike Dougherty spoke with one of the ATF agents who arrested Barnes.
"I told the team, 'That's him.' Everyone moved in."
ATF supervisory agent Jeff Matthews says he immediately recognized Barnes when agents spotted the vehicle in a strip mall parking lot.
"(We) converged on the driver's side door. We removed him from the vehicle, placed him into handcuffs, and he was arrested without incident," Matthews tells KYW Newsradio.
He says that agents circled the Ford Taurus that Barnes allegedly used to abduct Carlesha Freeland-Gaither. "And at that time I told her, 'You're safe, you're safe. We're the police and you're safe.' And she began crying."
Matthews says this was an emotional day for all the agents who helped find Carlesha. Some even said it was the most rewarding day of their careers.
"To truly, to save her was incredible. We talked about it afterwards, it was the best moment in all of our professional lives," Matthews tells CBS 3 Eyewitness News.
READ: Complete CBSPhilly Coverage
"There was a tremendous sense of relief last night for everybody involved and particularly the family," said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey.
Police say the suspect, Barnes, used to live in Philadelphia and court documents show assault charges for him nearly a decade ago. He was also wanted on attempted murder charges in Virginia. In that case, police say a 16-year-old girl was reported missing in October, and she was found a few days later naked with burns and smelling of bleach and gasoline. Barnes reportedly hit the girl over the head with a shovel, threw her in the trunk of his car, drove her to his home and made her strip naked before terrorizing her. He is also said to have shown the teen photos of other girls he said he'd kidnapped. Investigators say that at some point, Barnes became distracted, and the victim was able to escape.
Police Commissioner Ramsey said he's thankful they got Carlesha when they did.
"Had she not been recovered and rescued as quickly as she was," he said, "we don't know what the outcome would have been with her either."
Authorities believe Barnes randomly targeted Carlesha, but the investigation continues.
Commissioner Ramsey said police will do a full interview with Carlesha after things settle down and she spends time with her family.
"They're doing well, they're upset. Obviously they're upset, there's a lot to take in. There's a lot of healing that has to happen," says Philadelphia Police Inspector James Kelly.
Police released a statement saying that Gaither's family is grateful for media assistance in her rescue but they are taking a break from talking in public.
Meanwhile, suspect Delvin Barnes appeared in court in Baltimore. By Nov. 12, he will be extradited to Virginia, where he faces charges for the kidnapping of the 16-year-old.
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