Footage shared Monday showed the moment police rescued a five-year-old child from an apparent closet prison in northwest Arkansas.
Police body cam footage shared by USA Today showed the moment Tontitown police officers found a small girl apparently locked inside a hidden compartment in a secret closet within a 40-year-old man’s home. The officers were at the scene to help members of the Department of Human Services remove the child from the man’s custody, according to an arrest report.
The arrest report said the man allegedly refused to let officers into the home, claiming the child wasn’t there, according to USA Today. When police eventually got inside, they reportedly heard a banging noise coming from the bedroom.
The suspect then entered the bedroom, knelt down and moved several boxes from a closet, per USA Today. Eventually, he reportedly pulled a board that was nailed in place off the wall, revealing where he’d allegedly hidden the small girl.
“She was very emotional when she came out and pretty scared,” Detective Keith Lindley told the outlet. “He had instructed her not to make a sound or reveal she was back there.”
The girl appeared to be unharmed. (RELATED: 3 Children Die After Being Found Unconscious At Coney Island)
The suspect was out on bond for a methamphetamine charge at the time of his arrest, according to Lindley.
The suspect was charged with first-degree child endangerment and interference with court ordered custody, per USA Today. He was booked on a $5,000 bond, which was paid Monday. He entered a not guilty plea when appearing in court.