Cops: New video shows person of interest in Phila. abduction
ABERDEEN, Md. -- Police have released new surveillance video from a Maryland gas station they say shows a person of interest in the abduction of a nursing assistant from a Philadelphia street Sunday night.
Philadelphia police said Carlesha Freeland-Gaither's ATM card was used at a bank early Monday in Aberdeen, Md., about 35 miles north of Baltimore. They released a series of surveillance images of an unknown male at the bank.
The surveillance footage shows the man later walking through a gas station minimart in Aberdeen. The images were captured less than nine hours after the nursing assistant was seen on surveillance video being forced struggling to a car in the Germantown section of northwest Philadelphia.
A witness reported seeing a woman identified as the 22-year-old Freeland-Gaither screaming for help as an assailant forced her into a dark gray four-door vehicle at about 9:40 p.m. Sunday.
The witness told police the woman kicked out two of the car's rear windows as she attempted to fight off her attacker. He told CBS Philly the suspect had a large knife, which fell to the ground during the struggle, along with Freeland-Gaither's glasses and cellphone.
Police told 48 Hours' Crimesider it appears the woman was targeted at random, and that the suspect appeared to have been watching her before the abduction.
The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect. That's in addition to rewards totaling $17,000 from local officials.
Freeland-Gaither is described as a black female, 5'3″ tall, 125 pounds with brown eyes. Police say she has braided hair and has a tattoo on her lower back, and was last seen wearing a light blue jean jacket, a gray and white sweater, and was carrying a black backpack.
The suspect is described by police as a black male, five feet, ten inches tall with a medium-heavy build and 25-30 years old. He has a medium brown complexion and was wearing a dark colored jacket with a dark colored hood, possibly a hooded sweatshirt underneath, a dark colored hat and and dark colored pants.
The vehicle is described by police as a 2000-2002 dark gray metallic four-door Ford Taurus with an unknown Pennsylvania license plate, an unknown plate on the front bumper, rear spoiler, and both driver and passenger side rear windows broken out. Police say the vehicle is missing inspection stickers and has an unknown item in the center bottom of the front windshield.
Anyone with any information is urged to call Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS (8477) or text a tip to PPD TIP or 773847 or visit phillypolice.com.