Steven Devont Harris arrested for kidnapping 10-year-old girl
26 september 2026 в 09:28
A ten-year-old girl from Tennessee managed to escape from a man who allegedly ripped an air conditioner out of her bedroom window and abducted her into the woods, where, according to police, he tied her to a tree and threatened her with sexual violence.
The suspect, Stephen Devonte Harris, was arrested on the evening of September 23 in connection with the abduction that occurred earlier that same day, according to a statement released by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Harris, 30, from Newbern, is charged with two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, and attempted child rape.
According to authorities, Harris forcibly abducted the girl from her home in Newbern, threatened and assaulted her. The girl’s mother, Crystal Brown, wrote in a social media post that the man ripped the air conditioner out of the window and then pulled her daughter from the house and dragged her into the woods. A police report obtained by local broadcaster WMC-TV states that in the woods, the man used a belt to tie the girl to a tree, held a knife to her throat, and threatened to rape her.
The girl ultimately found a way to escape and sought help from a neighbor before Harris caught up with her again, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The quick actions of the neighbor helped save her life, the agency noted in its statement.
A neighbor who spoke with WBBJ-TV said she woke up to screams around 12:50 a.m. on Wednesday, and the girl ran to her aunt’s house, which is located near her mother’s home. The suspect, she said, chased the girl when the aunt came outside with a bat.
Newbern Police Chief Greg Barr reported that they arrived at the scene shortly thereafter. The girl was taken to the hospital for evaluation, but he said she appeared to be fine. Harris was identified as a suspect after testing evidence related to the abduction for DNA, which led to his arrest. It is unclear whether Harris has hired an attorney. He was held in the Dyer County Jail.
The suspect, Stephen Devonte Harris, was arrested on the evening of September 23 in connection with the abduction that occurred earlier that same day, according to a statement released by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Harris, 30, from Newbern, is charged with two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, and attempted child rape.
According to authorities, Harris forcibly abducted the girl from her home in Newbern, threatened and assaulted her. The girl’s mother, Crystal Brown, wrote in a social media post that the man ripped the air conditioner out of the window and then pulled her daughter from the house and dragged her into the woods. A police report obtained by local broadcaster WMC-TV states that in the woods, the man used a belt to tie the girl to a tree, held a knife to her throat, and threatened to rape her.
The girl ultimately found a way to escape and sought help from a neighbor before Harris caught up with her again, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The quick actions of the neighbor helped save her life, the agency noted in its statement.
A neighbor who spoke with WBBJ-TV said she woke up to screams around 12:50 a.m. on Wednesday, and the girl ran to her aunt’s house, which is located near her mother’s home. The suspect, she said, chased the girl when the aunt came outside with a bat.
Newbern Police Chief Greg Barr reported that they arrived at the scene shortly thereafter. The girl was taken to the hospital for evaluation, but he said she appeared to be fine. Harris was identified as a suspect after testing evidence related to the abduction for DNA, which led to his arrest. It is unclear whether Harris has hired an attorney. He was held in the Dyer County Jail.
© Kolganov Andrey
