On June 6, a woman received a text message. It was from her missing sister who said she was being held hostage in a hotel somewhere outside of New Orleans.
The kidnap victim was reportedly taken from Clarksville, Tenn., then raped, beaten and strangled, according to Nashville's WSMV-TV. The victim's sister called the police in Slidell, La. who were able to track the text message and find the victim's location.
The victim was found over the weekend in a hotel room. Police said she was "badly beaten and in need of medical attention." She was taken to a hospital and treated for various injuries, including broken bones.
Police say 34-year-old Lee Meadows of Clarksville kidnapped the woman as he fled the state due to pending criminal charges for domestic abuse, according to Virginia's NBC-12. Meadows chose New Orleans because he has friends there. Meadows "surrendered without incident."
"Had it not been for the determination of the victim to survive, and the swift actions by Tennessee authorities and the officers at the Slidell Police Department, we could easily be working a homicide right now," Slidell Police Chief Randy Smith said in a statement. "Hopefully our criminal justice system will put Mr. Meadows away for a long time to where he won't be able to hurt anyone ever again."
Meadows is charged with battery by strangulation, second-degree battery, false imprisonment and forcible rape.
