Search Continues for Germantown Kidnapping Victim

Carlesha Freeland-Gaither was taken in Germantown. A total of $42,000 in reward money has been offered.

[Update, 1:30 p.m.] 6 ABC is reporting that the ATM card of Carlesha Freeland-Gaither has been used in Maryland.

The station also reports that the reward in the Germantown kidnapping is now up to $42,000, with $25,000 from the FBI and $2,000 from the Citizens Crime Commission in addition to the previously reported $10,000 from the City of Philadelphia and $5,000 from the Fraternal Order of Police.

[Update 11 a.m.] Philadelphia Police announce: "John McNesby, President of the Fraternal Order of Police - Lodge 5, has announced an additional $5,000 reward for ARREST in the abduction case."

Making the money contingent on an arrest means that anybody who helps find Freeland-Gaither — hopefully alive and safe — will see cash money for their efforts almost immediately. The original $10,000 reward is dependent on a conviction in the case, meaning that cash might not be paid out for months or years.

[Original] Police are still searching for Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, who was kidnapped Sunday night on the 100 block of West Coulter Street in Germantown.



CBS News:

Surveillance video released Monday by Philadelphia police shows a man driving down a street, parking his car and walking a short distance out of the camera's view, back towards the direction from which he came. He's then seen apparently chasing a woman across the street before grabbing her and forcing her down the block and into the car.

Police say the woman in the video is Freeland-Gaither. A witness told police he saw the woman yelling for help and being forced into the car, possibly a gray Ford Taurus. The witness said the woman's glasses and cell phone fell onto the road.

"Please just send her back home," Freeland-Gaither's father told the station. "Just let my daughter go. Whatever you want, whatever you're asking for, I'll give it to you."

The Daily News:

"I can tell you one thing, she's a fighter. She was not just giving up, she wasn't just going to be taken" said Carlesha's mother, Keisha Gaither. "She's going to keep fighting to the end. She's coming back to me."

Last night, Mayor Nutter announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Carlesha's abductor.

The New York Daily News:

Police said they are searching for the suspect, who they describe as a 5'10" black male with a medium brown complexion between 25 and 30 years old. He has a medium-heavy build and was last seen in a dark hooded jacket, dark hat and dark pants, police said.

The suspect was driving a 2000-2002 dark gray metallic 4-door Ford Taurus with an unknown Pennsylvania license plate and an unknown plate on the front bumper and rear spoiler, according to police. The vehicle is missing inspection stickers and has an unknown item in the center bottom of the front windshield.


  • ErShava

    Seems that that person in the car saw what was going on, and decided to not get involved and back up.

  • donica

    i would of rammed the car if the witness was in the car…what a chicken not to try and help someone….coward rather in car or not

  • Oliver

    Maybe that witness in the car paused to figure out what they were seeing (two people clowning around or a kidnapping?), called police and provided an eye witness as well as description of the suspect, vehicle and the kidnapping itself. If that witness had gotten involved and was killed, police would know even less about the suspect. Maybe the person in that car was a gray-haired, 80-year-old woman without a gun. I’m sure our suspect had a weapon. This might have been a witness who could physically do little but get killed. She or he may have done best by reporting the crime and witnessing what she could.
    Hoping for Carlesha’s safe and sound return and justice for our suspect. A criminal this bold should terrify all of us.

  • B Lender

    I live 2 blocks from where this happened. I hear people screaming “help” all the time. Generally, I go outside to make sure everyone is alright. 100% of the time it’s been kids playing. When you live in a city like this it’s hard to know when something is real and when it’s not or when you will be killed or attacked for intervening. I have also had to call the police numerous times for car accidents outside of my home. It usually takes them about an hour to arrive which doesn’t encourage anyone to call the police when there is a crime taking place. Obviously, someone should have intervened but it’s not always as easy as it looks.
    This is a horrible and terrifying thing. I have always felt safe in my neighborhood and now I do not. I’ll be moving soon.