The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office returned a 13-year-old girl home, who they said ran away from her home to be with a 44-year-old man.
Scott D. Davis, 44, of Valdosta, Ga., is charged with first-degree kidnapping and interference with child custody in Alabama, and with two counts of aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery and child molestation in Georgia.
Investigators believe the child was communicating for months with Davis, who initially told her he was 15, on social media. He said he would be turning 16 in September.
On October 6, the teen was entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as a runaway after her parents noticed she had left her home with her cell phone and clothes. They said they believed she was with a man they knew as Spencer Davis. Davis had been to their home in a white Dodge Caravan. The parents initially thought he was a teenager, but later realized he was much older.
Detectives tracked down the Dodge Caravan to Valdosta, where investigators eventually located the teen.
Police said the teen was staying in a tent behind Davis’s house because he told her he lived with his mother and would get in trouble if she knew the teen was there. Davis kept the teen secluded from all other members of his family, and they had no idea the teen was in the backyard when detectives arrived. The teen’s hair was also cut and colored.
“This case is extremely disturbing, and our department will be diligent to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted,” said Valdosta police chief Leslie Manahan. “We are committed to protecting children and holding offenders accountable for crimes against them.”
“We’re incredibly thankful for the outstanding cooperation from our law enforcement partners in Georgia,” said Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch. “Their quick response and coordination with our detectives were vital to bringing this young girl home safely. I also want to thank our community for staying alert and sharing information that helped move this case forward.”
The teen was returned home while Davis was taken to jail.
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