A passing driver helped the 12-year-old reach police after she emerged from woods near U.S. Highway 421.
LILLINGTON, N.C. — A 12-year-old girl escaped after authorities say she was taken from a home where she was visiting a friend and driven to a wooded area, leading to the arrest of a 38-year-old Harnett County man on kidnapping and assault charges.
The girl was found near U.S. Highway 421 on Aug. 16 after getting away from the man, identified by Harnett County Sheriff Wayne Coats as Daniel Francis Gear. The child was taken for medical evaluation and later released to recover with her family. Authorities have not publicly identified her because she is a minor.
Local reports said the girl had been staying at a friend’s home in Lillington when Gear allegedly woke her and told her to get into his truck. Neighbors interviewed by local news organizations said Gear was the uncle of the girl’s friend and lived at the home. Coats said Gear had no relationship with the 12-year-old herself.
Investigators allege Gear drove the girl to a wooded area and made her get out of the vehicle. Arrest warrant details reported by Law&Crime accuse Gear of terrorizing the child, pushing her to the ground and physically restraining her. Those allegations have not been proven in court.
Jennifer Maxwell told WRAL that she was driving home from work Sunday afternoon when she saw the girl suddenly emerge from the woods near U.S. 421 and drop into a roadside ditch while crying. Maxwell said the girl had no shoes and appeared to have scratches from moving through brush. Maxwell turned her vehicle around to check on her.
Maxwell said she asked the child whether she was all right. The girl replied, “No, I’ve been kidnapped.” Maxwell called 911, brought the girl into her vehicle and drove her to the Erwin Police Department. She also helped authorities identify the area where she had encountered the child.
The girl’s account prompted a search for Gear. Deputies located his vehicle in the area but initially did not find him, according to the sheriff’s office account reported by WRAL. Authorities had warned during the search that Gear should be considered armed and dangerous. Deputies eventually found him Sunday night in a wooded area along U.S. 421 and took him into custody.
Gear is charged with first-degree kidnapping and assault on a female. Court-record reporting said the kidnapping warrant accuses him of unlawfully confining and restraining the girl and alleges that his actions were intended to terrorize her. The charges are accusations, and Gear is presumed innocent unless he is convicted.
The case drew wider attention after Maxwell described the roadside encounter and the child’s escape. Her account provided additional detail beyond the sheriff’s initial announcement, including the girl’s description of being taken into the woods. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a suspected motive, and the available reports do not establish why Gear allegedly took the child from the home.
Public reports reviewed through Aug. 22 listed Gear as being held in the Harnett County Jail on a $2.5 million bond, with his next court appearance scheduled for Sept. 1. The reports reviewed did not identify a plea. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the girl’s removal from the home remained active.
Author note: Last updated August 22, 2026.