Woman helps kidnapped teen tortured for 3 days: 'He was so scared'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A woman told Channel 9 her son was kidnapped and assaulted for three days by four people who believed he had stolen from them.

In an exclusive interview, the woman said her son had been tortured, tied to a chair, bound with zip ties, and beaten.

Police said the 19-year-old was kidnapped Sunday at a home on Highlander Court. He escaped Wednesday morning and alerted a nearby resident. Authorities said his family members and police were soon contacted.

Carnis Poindexter Jr., 18; Monazha Thompson, 18; Mikkaala Lewis, 31; and Carnis Poindexter Sr., 52, are facing charges of robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, communicating threats, kidnapping, and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

Carnis Poindexter Sr., Carnis Poindexter Jr., Mikkaala Lewis, Monazha Thompson

A woman said she was sitting in her car when the teen ran to her window and said he had been kidnapped and tortured.

The teen's mother, who did not want to be identified, said her son is traumatized and has not been able to sleep since his escape.

"They just beat him. They beat him. They had bats, machetes. They had guns,” she said. “I'm worried about my son's safety, at this point."

The mother said her son escaped Wednesday when the suspects left the home.

“He said he was tied up with zip ties and he said when they left yesterday morning, he wiggled himself out and got his bag and ran out the door,” she said. “God came through and he broke free."

The teen’s mother said he was friends with one of the suspects and voluntarily went to the house on Sunday.

Once he was inside, the mother said the four accused her son of stealing, tied him up and assaulted him.

The woman who helped the teen when he escaped said she had been getting ready to go to work Wednesday when he ran up to her, begging for help.

"I've never seen fear in someone's eyes like that before,” she said. “He was crying and he kept saying they took a machete, a butt of a machete, and kept on beating him in the head with it and he showed me his scalp where they had gouged his scalp."

The woman said the expression on the teen’s face is something she will never forget.

“Just the pure terror in his eyes and voice, he couldn't get away from here fast enough. He was so scared,” she said.

All four suspects are still in jail combined bond of $300,000.

"It's been really hard,” the mother said. “All I could do is just pray for my son."

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