After a 13-year-old girl who had been reported missing in Dallas two weeks prior was found alive inside a locked shed at the North Carolina residence where he was living, a man is now being charged with several felonies.
Sheriff Richie Simmons of Davidson County, North Carolina, revealed at a press conference on Monday that a special agent with the Texas FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force had gotten in touch with his office late on Friday about a missing girl from Dallas who was thought to be with 34-year-old Jorge Ivan Santos Camacho, an adult resident of Lexington.
The North Carolina Authorities
At a news conference on Monday, North Carolina authorities stated that they had eyes on Camacho’s residence in Lexington, about 60 miles northeast of Charlotte, about 10 minutes after getting the FBI’s tip.
According to the sheriff’s office, the girl was reportedly found confined behind an outbuilding shortly after Camacho was stopped as he left the property on Friday night. The house owner said she had allowed Camacho to stay there even though he didn’t reside in the main house but insisted she was unaware he had anyone else sleeping with him.
Matt Howerton tweeted that the 13-year-old Dallas girl found locked inside that shed in Lexington. You can see below:
BREAKING: the 13-year-old Dallas girl found locked inside that shed in Lexington, North Carolina is Kaylin Rodriguez, per family.
She went missing March 1st.
Jorge Camacho, 34, now in custody.
Family and police say Camacho befriended the teen online while playing a video game. pic.twitter.com/GADNarmbN1
— Matt Howerton (@HowertonNews) March 13, 2023
The girl had been communicating with an adult via an undisclosed social media site, and Simmons claimed that the tone of those communications was consistent with grooming and enticement. Simmons said the girl was encouraged and convinced to leave her home.
The girl was reportedly last seen in Dallas on March 1st, per an internet advertisement. A vehicle with Davidson County, North Carolina, registration was allegedly spotted at that time on surveillance cameras positioned close to the girl’s house, according to the Davidson County Sheriff’s Department.
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After her rescue Friday, the girl appeared unharmed and was transferred to a hospital for evaluation before being reunited with her family in Dallas.
Simmons said Camacho faces felonies for child abduction, felonious restraint, human trafficking, under-15 rape, and indecent liberties with a kid. Simmons said Camacho might face more charges and is jailed on $1.25 million bonds.
On his first court appearance Monday afternoon, the judge told Camacho that he risks life in prison without parole if convicted. Camacho’s attorney status is unclear. Simmons did not disclose Camacho’s criminal background, including child abuse. Information will be revealed as the inquiry continues.
Simmons advised parents to keep a closer eye on what their children are doing online because situations like these are becoming more common.
“If it doesn’t stop at home, it comes to the schools and the teachers have that responsibility. If it doesn’t stop there it comes to us, unfortunately,” Simmons said. “As parents, they’ve got to wise up and see that the danger to these kids continues to go on. Please help us out. I am very thankful. I thank God that we were able to find this young girl. It may not be that case forever.”
The FBI told NBC 5 on Monday that they helped find the girl who had gone missing, but they had nothing to say about the case because Camacho is currently facing state charges rather than federal ones. Should Camacho meet federal grants, the U.S. Attorney’s Office would publicize that information.
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