Abigaile LeFevers, missing N.C. 12-year-old found in Fla., sex offender suspect in custody

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

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(AP) HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.- Authorities say a 12-year-old North Carolina girl, Abigaile Faith LeFevers, who was the subject of a multi-state Amber Alert, has been found in South Florida and the man suspected of taking her is in custody.

The FBI says authorities stopped Lefevers and 38-year-old Timothy Newman, a registered sex offender, Wednesday night in Hallandale Beach.

According to a Facebook post on the wall of her father, Robert LeFevers, Abigaile is "being held in a safe house, in a church down in Miami, Florida...being treated. She should be flown back home Saturday, possibly Sunday."

More on Crimesider
Sept. 26, 2012 - Amber Alert issued for 12-year-old NC girl who may be traveling with sex offender

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by Yiayia64 September 29, 2012 9:11 AM EDT: I hope and pray that Abigail is not being returned to the care of her father. He needs to share in the responsibility of what has happened to her.; Reply to this comment


by Valigators September 29, 2012 6:39 AM EDT: Everyone must remember sex offenders either "stumble on to opportunities or they Create them" This case outlines "grooming". Never forget the responsibility ALWAYS lay with the adult. It is no secret in this country what constitutes a sex crime. Any freak who has already been thru the system once and sticks his hand in the fire Again, is a freak we dont want in our "airspace". Society must take a NO TOLERANCE stance on these crimes and or the people who commit them. Convicted Sex offenders and their families have a very vocal web network that attempt to minimize these crimes by posing as regular people on forums as this. "Dont fall for it". Think about it? It is far more likely this girl would have ended up in a body bag, "the Amber Alert" worked and thank God it did.; Reply to this comment


by Lisa0819 September 28, 2012 9:17 AM EDT: not sure if my last comment posted or not. I don't see it. But to add to CC369's excellent post, this predator was NOT a stranger, if what I read is correct. Apparently, Abigaile's father knew this guy for 12 years. For six of the last 12 years, the kidnapper was in prison for child sex offenses, and has only been out a year or so. So access to this child did not come through some random chat room, it was closer to home than that.; Reply to this comment


by Lisa0819 September 28, 2012 9:13 AM EDT: Personally, I'd have more questions for the father. According to what I've read, the father knew this guy for 12 years. For six of that twelve, the kidnapper was in prison for child sex offenses. The guy was NOT a stranger.; Reply to this comment

by CC369 September 27, 2012 8:12 PM EDT

The twelve year old is the victim in this case. Blaming her does not help the fact that the perpetrator groomed, manipulated, lied to her and used her for sex. A twelve year old has absolutely no idea of the cruelty of sexual pedophile perpetrators. Don't lecture the 12 year old as if she is an adult who has actually developed adult capacity to reason and think for herself. That is victimizing and blaming the victim.

That being said, this POS perp needs to be locked up indefinitely somewhere where he will never be around children to prey on again. Shame on the law system for not keeping this animal on a shorter leash!

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by ralphing October 1, 2012 9:19 AM EDT: I was 12 year old, and pretty much all of us knew about sex and were having sex. Not saying we couldn't be manipulated by an adult, but young pre-teens aren't stupid. If anything, this girl was naive thinking she could run off with this guy and have some sort of relationship.


by VA_Jill September 27, 2012 5:50 PM EDT: Thank goodness she is safe. But she needs some kind of help. A happy, normal 12 year old does not run off with a stranger. Something is missing in her life somewhere.; Reply to this comment


by marine1957 September 27, 2012 3:40 PM EDT: Praise the Lord for saving this dear girl's life...; Reply to this comment

by djseavy September 27, 2012 3:35 PM EDT

Thankfully this has a positive ending, but if it were my daughter, I'd not put on a ticker-tape parade. I'd be angry that she dropped all common-sense and took off with a total stranger. I don't buy the notion that young girls are niave and have no idea what they're doing. There has been enough education, warnings, amber alerts, etc., for kids to know situations like this can be deadly. I'd be jumping for joy that my daughter is coming home and is safe, but when she got back, we'd have a very long discussion, and her internet access would be nixed for a long time. Kids - what do you expect to happen when you do this? It's not okay to communicate with adult strangers on the internet, and it is putting your life at risk to run away with them. Please don't keep this cycle going. Use your head and keep yourself safe. To deliberately run away with a stranger is not only putting you at risk to be raped and/or killed, but you put your family through a nightmare no parent should have to face. Think about it, and if you're tempted to do this - DON'T.

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by browniesanyone September 28, 2012 3:31 AM EDT: i couldn't agree more!

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