A 14-year-old girl reported missing over the weekend was found late Monday night hiding inside a mobile home at the West Center Community mobile home park in Lexington, and two local men were arrested, according to deputies. Officials said the girl, who had last been seen Saturday, was taken to a hospital for evaluation and is now receiving support from the Davidson County Department of Social Services. Investigators added there was no known relationship between the child and the two men now facing charges.
How deputies began the probe
Detectives with the Davidson County Sheriff's Office were first alerted by the county Department of Social Services about a reported child abandonment, according to a news release cited by The Charlotte Observer. Acting on that tip, deputies went to the address where a witness said they had seen the teen. There, they encountered 40-year-old Samir Ruiz, who told them he lived alone and denied knowing anything about the girl. Investigators said some of what they observed at the scene raised enough red flags that they decided to seek a search warrant.
Search warrant turned up another adult and the teen
Deputies executed the warrant around 11 p.m. at a Meadow Way Drive residence in the West Center Community. Inside, they reported finding another adult, identified as 40-year-old Rafael Quiroz-Merino, along with the missing 14-year-old hiding in the home, as reported by WXII. Local reports say the teen appeared unharmed at the time and was taken to a medical facility to be checked out.
Charges and custody
Authorities said Ruiz is charged with felony abduction of a child and obstruction of justice, while Quiroz-Merino faces a felony child abduction charge. Both men are being held without bond at the Davidson County Detention Center, according to The Charlotte Observer.
Legal stakes for abduction charges
Under North Carolina law, abduction of children, defined as the wrongful removal or retention of a minor in certain circumstances, is a felony offense. G.S. 14-41 classifies child abduction as a Class F felony. A conviction can bring significant prison time under the state’s sentencing rules and can be stacked with other charges if prosecutors decide to pursue them.
Investigation continues
The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing and that the girl is receiving services from the county’s social services department, according to WXII. Officials have not released further information about how the teen ended up in the mobile home and are asking anyone with information to contact the sheriff’s office.
As investigators work to piece together the timeline and circumstances, prosecutors are expected to review the case and determine how to proceed. For now, the girl remains in the care of county services, and both suspects remain in custody while the probe plays out.
