Police: Va. girl escaped as captor dug her grave

LARRY O’DELL
Associated Press

CHARLES CITY, Va. (AP) — Charles City County authorities say a 16-year-old Richmond girl was hit in the head with a shovel, stuffed into the trunk of a car and taken to a weathered mobile home where she was doused with bleach and gasoline. She managed to escape while her assailant was digging her grave.

The suspect, 37-year-old Delvin Barnes, was apprehended in Maryland on Wednesday after officers investigating the early October attack recognized his car on televised video of another abduction in Philadelphia and alerted federal authorities.

Charles City County Sheriff’s Capt. Jayson Crawley said Thursday that the Virginia girl remains hospitalized with third-degree chemical burns. The Philadelphia woman was rescued and is recovering at home.

Barnes will be returned to Virginia to face several charges, including attempted murder.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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