McLeod teen found safe in Kentucky

Nineteen-year-old, Louisiana man Nathanial Barger was arrested during an early-morning stop Thursday, April 28 in Bardstown, Kentucky on charges of kidnapping a McLeod, Texas minor and receiving stolen property, according to a citation from the Bardstown Police Department. It was also noted that Barger was taken into custody at an RV park in Kentucky

According to Cass County Sheriff ’s Office, Caleb Wall, “On April 27, at 4:30 a.m., Cass County Deputies responded to Mcleod TX in reference to a runaway 13-Year-old. Cass County Deputies immediately listed the 13-year-old female as a runaway and entered her into ncic/tcic which is a state- and nationwide reporting system. Upon further investigation, deputies learned that the 13-year-old had run away with a 19-year-old male. The 19-year-old male and 13-year-old female was located in central Kentucky. The 19-year-old male was taken into custody by Kentucky police on charges of possession of stolen property as well as a sexual assault charge.”

According to WLKY, Kentucky, Barger, “left Texas with the girl to head to the Bardstown area, officials said. Police were called out to the Walmart parking lot in Bardstown after midnight Thursday when they received word of a kidnapping juvenile. The officers tried looking for a black Yukon SUV with Texas plates but were unable to locate the vehicle. They then made their way to the RV park My Old KY Home Campground, where they found the suspected vehicle.”

It was there that the police found the suspect and the girl asleep. According to Kentucky investigators, said Barger has no relation to the girl and her guardian had no knowledge the 20-year-old had taken the teen. Additional details were not released from the Kentucky PD.

Cass County Investigators are still working to determine if the 19-yearold will face charges out of Texas as well. This is an ongoing investigation. The 13-year-old has since been returned to the custody of her legal guardian, according to Cass County Sheriff ’s Department.