MONROE, N.C. — Monroe police say a 14-year-old girl who went missing around Halloween hadn’t met her suspected kidnapper before the day she disappeared.
Investigators say registered sex offender Stephen Miller was homeless when he kidnapped the girl on Nov. 1 and raped her. She was found by officers 14 days later in a car with the suspect, and police said it’s the only time the two had ever been connected.
“That’s a little unusual. Normally, you think of that grooming and it’s a longer, drawn-out process,” said Jessie Lindberg, the executive director with Turning Point.
Lindberg’s group advocates for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. She’s used to working with children who’ve experienced the worst situations, and she says Miller likely preyed on the young girl’s vulnerability.
“A hundred percent, he came across as someone who was trustworthy,” Lindberg told Channel 9′s Gina Esposito. “They are very convincing, and they come across as very kind and very trustworthy, and I’m sure that’s what happened here.”
This week, hundreds of people gathered in Monroe and Waxhaw to shed tears and light candles while hearing the stories of other local survivors.
Lindberg says in 2023, Turning Point’s Tree House Children’s Advocacy Center supported nearly 600 children in Union County. All had survived abusive situations or witnessed violence.
“We are so well trained to serve kids who’ve been abused, sexually abused, physically abused because we do it in a way that is centered on healing and comfort,” Lindberg said.
She says their role in these cases is crucial. They are usually the ones interviewing victims for police after an incident. They also continue counseling with those survivors for years.
“We never charge for anything at Turning Point, everything is offered free of charge,” Lindberg said. “And we are there for as long as they need us.”
Turning Point says their staff is available to survivors of sexual assault 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Their crisis line is always open in Union County, the number is 704-283-7770.
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