Missing North Carolina girl was chained to tree

Stefanny Lenneth Lopez-Castro was located Thursday morning in Wilmington after authorities said she was abducted from her home the night before, local station WECT reports.

A 6-year-old North Carolina girl has been reunited with her family after she was kidnapped and left chained to a tree.

Stefanny Lenneth Lopez-Castro had been taken from her Royal Palms, North Carolina home at about 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, resulting in an Amber Alert being issued.

Edwards’s victim was 6 years old at the time, according to the Public Department of Safety.

Authorities say she was taken by a man on a moped who has long white or blonde hair and was wearing a black short-sleeve shirt with a dragon on it. Investigators needed bolt cutters to free the girl from the chains binding her to the tree.

Douglas Edwards, 46, of Wilmington is in custody. He had previously been placed on the sex offender registry following a 1996 conviction of a first-degree sexual offense and indecent liberties with a minor.

“We beat the odds today, it’s safe to say”, Sheriff Edward McMahon said during a news conference.

Edwards has been charged with first-degree kidnapping, but police say more charges are likely.

A family friend says the six-year-old was taken to a hospital for treatment. He declined to comment on whether she had been harmed. He said she did not say a word and seemed very calm.

Bland was found dead in her jail cell three days after she was arrested for failing to use her turn signal. I mean, we have children, I’ve got a granddaughter that age.