Inset: Darnell Hairston (Flagler County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Cops in Florida arrest Hairston after he allegedly kidnapped an 11-year-old boy (Flagler County Sheriff’s Office).
A Florida man is starting his year behind bars after he allegedly kidnapped an 11-year-old boy at a campsite and tied him up with shoelaces and duct tape.
The investigation began on Dec. 31 when the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a sex offender, 60-year-old Darnell Hairston, traveling with two juveniles, one of whom was reported missing three days earlier, the agency said in a press release. Deputies pulled over Hairston’s pickup truck — which had a camper topper attached to it — on U.S. Hwy 1 at Palm Coast Parkway. When he stopped, he rolled down his window and “extended both arms” outside the window, the press release said. He appeared “anxious and was unable to remain still,” deputies noted.
One of the juveniles in the car appeared to be nervous so cops had him step out of the truck so they could speak with him away from Hairston. As deputies were speaking with the boy, Hairston tried to run away but slipped and fell on the road, cops said. A deputy jumped on top of him and Hairston allegedly tried to take her gun as they were wrestling on the ground.
Other deputies intervened and Hairston was taken into custody. Meanwhile, the other juvenile allegedly drove away in the pickup. He was later arrested.
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Detectives spoke with the 11-year-old boy, who told them a harrowing story.
“The 11-year-old victim was clearly traumatized and in fear,” deputies wrote.
He said he had been kidnapped after he was lured to a campsite. Hairston allegedly choked him “until he lost consciousness.” When he awoke, Hairston threatened him with a gun and knife before he tied him up with shoelaces and an extension cord and covered his mouth with duct tape, police say.
Hairston allegedly held the boy at the campsite for multiple days and forced him to lay on the floorboard of his truck while covered with a blanket when the suspect drove.
Investigators searched the suspect’s vehicle, home and campsite and found several items including duct tape, video surveillance equipment and weapons that were consistent with the victim’s statements.
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In an interview after receiving his Miranda rights, Hairston allegedly admitted he knew the boy was missing but never called cops. He is facing a slew of charges including kidnapping of a child under 13, aggravated child abuse, battery by strangulation and robbery with a deadly weapon. He also faces charges of resisting arrest with violence.
Hairston is at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility without bond. He’s slated to appear in court on Jan. 27. Per Florida’s sex offender registry, Hairston has previous convictions for lewd and lascivious behavior with a child under the age of 16 and false imprisonment.
Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement he hopes “this pervert will face justice” and serve the rest of his life in prison.
“Clearly, thanks to ‘see something, say something’ and our deputies recognizing the victim was very afraid, we rescued a missing child who was in fear Hairston had planned to kill him,” Staly said. “In the hours after Hairston was initially arrested, our team put in a tremendous amount of effort on this investigation — working throughout the day, night, and well into the early hours of New Year’s Day — as they followed every lead, processed multiple crime scenes, and conducted interviews to make sure this child was protected and this pervert would be arrested for the crimes he committed.”
