A 9-year-old girl was allegedly abducted from a camp in late September by an Upstate New York man who was charged with several offences, including sexual abuse.
In connection with the girl’s alleged abduction that took place between September 30 and October 2, Craig Ross Jr. made an appearance in Saratoga County Court on Friday, Nov. 17. He entered a not guilty plea to the following charges: first-degree kidnapping, four counts of predatory sexual assault, two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child.
He was ordered to be detained without bond by a judge. WYNT-TV says. Ross could spend up to life in prison if found guilty of the kidnapping allegation.
Around 6:15 p.m. on September 30, the young girl rode her bike around Lake Moreau State Park, but she never came back. Thirty minutes later, her parents filed a missing person’s report. Before she was discovered inside a cabinet in Ross’ house on October 2, more than a hundred law enforcement officers and workers took part in the search.
A suspected kidnapper was found in New York and is being charged with first-degree kidnapping
Ross allegedly drove to the girl’s home on October 2 at 4:20 a.m., where New York State Police troopers were stationed, and left something in the mailbox, according to New York Governor Kathy Hochul. When troopers opened the mailbox after seeing the car, they allegedly discovered a ransom note inside.
Investigators from the New York State Police failed in their first effort to match fingerprints. They conducted another search in the New York State database, which purportedly connected them to Ross, who was apprehended for operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Saratoga in 1999. The suspect was located at Ross’ mother’s house by investigators. It was said that he lived in a camper behind the house.
Ross was found via a “dynamic entry” tactical maneuver carried out by detectives from the New York State Police. The youngster, according to Hochul, “knew she was being rescued” and “was in safe hands.”
Ross was first taken into custody on a first-degree kidnapping accusation.
According to WNYT During Ross’s court appearance last week, Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen declared that Ross had “dedicated a horrific, terrible crime towards an innocent young age victim.”