A shocking case of prolonged captivity has come to light in Houston, where a 52-year-old rapper and real estate broker is charged with the aggravated kidnapping of a pregnant woman. Lee Carter, known in the music circles as "Viper," is accused of keeping the woman locked in his garage for several years, as per court records. The details emerged following Carter's arrest on Thursday, with the bond set at a steep $100,000, according to Express News.
The horrid conditions of the victim came under the microscope last week when Houston police encountered her appearing "extremely malnourished," weighing about 70 pounds, and clothed in dirty garments. She was living in conditions described as inhumane, with no shower and where Carter allegedly permitted her to bathe occasionally in the main house. The same home police had visited a year earlier after a possible kidnapping report, hearing a woman's voice from within. It is a mystery why it took another year for the woman to be rescued, as told by MSN.
It was on the fateful streets of Almeda Genoa that the woman, while pregnant and panhandling, first encountered Carter. Offering a mere dollar, Carter returned shortly to propose assistance, coaxing her into his vehicle. From there, she was taken to his home at the 5000 block of Perry, where her years-long ordeal began. During her captivity, she alleges Carter forced her to have sex with him, fed her drugs, and thwarted any attempts at freedom, detailed in the accounts she gave to authorities.
Despite several pleas for help via the Text Now app, including one time leading to hospitalization, the woman found herself repeatedly released to Carter. The brazenness of the situation was compounded by boarded windows and a makeshift toilet in her confine, alongside a 74-inch TV and minimal sustenance. Officers responding to the scene also reported the sound of other women's voices inside Carter's residence but couldn't gain entry.
The developments have stirred a reaction in the community, as Houston Mayor John Whitmire vows to improve public safety and address crime in the city. Carter's next court appearance has been scheduled for today in front of Judge Veronica M. Nelson. Attempts to get a comment from Carter's public defender were, however, unsuccessful as of this writing.
