A juvenile reported missing in Catawba County has been found safe in Conover, and a 36-year-old Hickory man is now behind bars facing first-degree kidnapping charges. William Ethan Sessoms was taken into custody after investigators located the child with him, and he remains jailed without bond as the case moves to court.
Catawba County Sheriff’s Office investigators safely located the previously reported missing juvenile on Wednesday, October 21, in Conover, according to whky.com. The juvenile was reportedly found with Sessoms, who lives in Hickory, the station reported.
Sheriff’s investigators charged Sessoms with first-degree kidnapping and abduction of a child, per the same report. He is currently being held at the Catawba County Detention Facility without bond, and he was scheduled to appear in Catawba County District Court on Thursday, October 22.
Few Details Released So Far
Beyond the charges and custody status, investigators have shared little about how the case unfolded. As reported by qcnews.com, details are limited in the case, and it remains unclear what relationship, if any, existed between Sessoms and the juvenile.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office has described the investigation as ongoing, and no further specifics about the circumstances of the disappearance or the juvenile’s condition have been released.
What North Carolina Law Says About the Charges
Under North Carolina law, kidnapping is prosecuted in two degrees. According to the North Carolina General Statutes, a kidnapping charge rises to the first degree if the person kidnapped was not released by the defendant in a safe place or had been seriously injured or sexually assaulted. It is not yet known which of those elements prosecutors believe applies in this case.
No additional information about Sessoms’ scheduled court appearance has been released, and the sheriff’s office has indicated the investigation continues. Hoodline will update this story as more details become available.
