Body cam footage shows girl rescued from hidden closet

TONTITOWN, Ark. (KAIT) - Police arrested a Northwest Arkansas man after they found a 5-year-old girl hidden in a small secret closet in his home.

According to USA Today, the rescue took place Thursday, Nov. 6 in Tontitown, a city in Washington County.

Officers responded to a home to conduct a search warrant on a 40-year-old man and to assist in the state Department of Human Services in taking custody of a 5-year-old girl.

The arrest report states the suspect initially told police that the child was not at the home and refused to open the door.

Eventually, the suspect admitted the girl was inside and allowed the officers in the home.

While inside, the officers reported hearing a noise from a bedroom.

Officer body camera footage shows the suspect, with an officer behind him, as he got down on his knees in the closet and began moving several boxes.

The suspect pulled a board nailed to the wall revealing a small space behind the closet where the girl was hidden.

The report stated the space the girl was in behind the wall was “six to eight feet at the widest point going down to maybe two to four feet at the other.”

Detective Keith Lindley said the girl did not appear harmed and was placed into custody by the DHS.

The suspect was arrested on charges of first-degree child endangerment and interference with court-ordered custody in connection to the incident. At the time of the arrest, he was out on bond for unrelated drug charges out of Benton County.

The suspect was booked into the Washington County jail on Friday. He was given a $5,000 bond after appearing in court Monday morning and entering a not guilty plea.

His next court date is set for Dec. 4.

You can read more on the story on USA Today’s website.

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