Skip to Content

Louisiana man accused of abducting 12-year-old Leicester girl caught during traffic stop

By Kelly Doty

Click here for updates on this story

    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — A Louisiana man accused of taking a 12-year-old North Carolina girl from her home is in custody after deputies in Georgia found the pair during a routine traffic stop.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office said 18-year-old Kenton Jesus Enamorado Ventura was stopped along Interstate 985, about one mile south of Spout Springs Road, at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10.

Deputies said after Ventura and his passenger — a 12-year-old girl from Leicester — gave inconsistent accounts about their relationship, investigators were alerted.

After working with Buncombe County and Louisiana authorities, Hall County investigators believe that Ventura met the girl online and that the two communicated for about a year using WhatsApp, a popular messaging app.

Hall County investigators said initial details indicate Ventura drove from Louisiana to North Carolina to pick up the child from her home at about noon on Wednesday and the two were headed to Ventura’s home in West Monroe, Louisiana.

The girl’s father was unaware that she had left, according to the sheriff’s office.

Hall County authorities released the child to her father and arrested Ventura for traffic violations. The department says Ventura was released from its custody on July 28 for transfer to Buncombe County.

According to the Buncombe County P2C, Ventura is being held on a $500,000 secured bond for a felony abduction of children charge.

“We appreciate the assistance provided to us by the sheriff deputies in Hall County, Georgia,” Buncombe County’s Major John Ledford said in a written statement Wednesday. “Their willingness to follow up on their suspicions and conduct a thorough investigation was pivotal to reuniting the victim with her family. The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division continues to investigate this case and prepare it for prosecution. Therefore, we have no further comment at this time.”

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Article Topic Follows: CNN - Regional

Jump to comments ↓

CNN Newsource

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

News Channel 3 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content