Accused abductor indicted by grand jury on several charges
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) - A man accused of abducting a 6-year-old girl was indicted on several charges, including attempted first-degree murder, by a New Hanover County grand jury Monday.
According to the District Attorney's Office, in addition to the attempted murder charge, Douglas Nelson Edwards, 46, was indicted on charges of:
- First-degree kidnapping
- Two counts of taking indecent liberties with children
- Statutory sexual offense with a child by an adult
- Statutory rape of a child by an adult
- Assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious bodily injury
Authorities said Edwards, a registered sex offender, kidnapped the girl from her home in the Royal Palms Community off Carolina Beach Road on Sept. 14.
According to a New Hanover County Sheriff's Office detective's affidavit, Edwards was sitting on his moped watching the girl play in the front yard before grabbing her while her mother briefly went inside to check on an older sibling. The girl's mother frantically called 911 when she couldn't find her daughter.
Witnesses reported seeing the girl "screaming and kicking Edwards" moments after being abducted.
RELATED: Woman claims she witnessed six-year-old's abduction
Edwards initially skirted police custody due to an inaccurate description taken from witnesses that was provided to area law enforcement agencies, but was found soon after an updated description was issued, according to court documents. He was then brought in for questioning.
After questioning, during which Edwards reportedly denied being in the area of the abduction, authorities followed him to a home on St. Joseph Street and kept him under surveillance through the night.
According to the document, Edwards admitted to the kidnapping during a second session of questioning that seemingly happened the next day.
Detectives then located the girl alive chained to a tree in a wooded area off River Road. She was rushed to the hospital to be checked over, and was released the next day.
RELATED: Men flagged down to help abducted girl: 'No one prepares for a scene like that'
Edwards was arrested that day, and made his first court appearance Sept. 16. He is currently being held in the New Hanover County Jail under a $11.3 million bond.
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