According to the prosecutor, the suspect may have had an accomplice. The disappearance of a 13-year-old newspaper delivery girl launched a huge search operation in Denmark on Saturday.
The 32-year-old man suspected of abducting a 13-year-old girl in Denmark has been heard today at the Næstved courthouse, Danish public radio DR (you switch to another service) tells.
The police broke into the apartment on Sunday, where they found the girl and the suspect who had been reported missing on Saturday.
The girl was at work handing out magazines on Saturday when she disappeared.
According to the prosecutor, the man suspected of the kidnapping and ordered to be arrested on Monday may have had an accomplice. So far, the police have not caught up with the suspected accomplice.
– At the moment, we cannot rule out the existence of an accomplice. The matter must be clarified, acting as a prosecutor Susanne Bluhm stated on Monday outside the Næstved courthouse.
The 13-year-old girl was eventually missing for a little over a day. Police believe the victim was moved between two different addresses during that time.
The arrested 32-year-old is accused of deprivation of liberty and several rapes that took place with violence and threats. The man is also accused of another sexual crime, which is not related to rape.
The man has partially confessed to the crimes charged.
The disappearance triggered a major operation
More than 300 police officers and a large number of volunteers participated in an extensive search operation in the southwestern part of Denmark’s main island, Sjælland, during the past 24 hours.
The search focused on the area between the village of Sørbymagle and Fuglebjerg, where the girl disappeared.
First, the Danish police found the girl’s bicycle, bag and phone along the delivery route. Later, the police also cordoned off the house near the place of disappearance and the surrounding area, where they conducted extensive examinations on Sunday.
The family of the missing girl thanked the Danes for the support they received
On Monday, the stepfather of the missing girl also arrived at the courthouse Allan Gøgsig Nielsen.
– On behalf of our family, I had to be there to see what kind of man could even imagine doing the things he has done to a child, the visibly moved stepfather said for DR (you switch to another service) after the hearing is over.
Nielsen says that the whole family is happy that the missing 13-year-old has now returned home. In addition, he hoped that people would give the family time and space in the future, to be able to deal with what happened in peace.
– I want to thank the entire Danish people, who have supported and helped us by sending love, warmth and messages, as well as 24/7 phone calls.