FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Days after a registered sex offender was found with a missing child in Central Florida, deputies have released more information about what exactly happened.
On Tuesday, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office announced that deputies conducted a traffic stop of a pickup truck along U.S. Highway 1 after someone called in about “suspicious activity.”
During the traffic stop, deputies found the driver — identified as 60-year-old Darnell Hairston of Hastings, a registered sex offender — as well as two juveniles.
Investigators said they asked the three to get out of the vehicle, but while speaking with them, it was discovered that one of the juveniles — an 11-year-old boy — had been reported missing three days earlier out of St. Johns County.
The missing child reportedly told deputies he had been kidnapped, was not safe, and feared that he would have been killed if deputies didn’t intervene.
“The deputy quickly secured the child in the safety of their patrol vehicle and went to detain Hairston, but he tried to flee on foot,” the release reads. “Hairston was arrested shortly after for resisting an officer with violence and attempting to deprive a law enforcement officer of their firearm.”
But while deputies were busy catching Hairston, the other juvenile — identified as 15-year-old Junior Bishop of Hastings — got back into the truck and drove off, nearly striking a deputy in the roadway, the sheriff’s office stated.
According to investigators, this kick-started a chase along U.S. 1, which eventually carried over to State Road 100.
However, Bishop rammed into a deputy’s patrol vehicle, causing both vehicles to crash into the wood line and Bishop’s truck to roll over, deputies said.
He was ultimately arrested and now faces charges of aggravated fleeing, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, driving without a license, and resisting arrest without violence.
During a later interview with the missing child, investigators said they learned that he had been lured to a wooded campsite in Flagler Estates, where Hairston choked him until he lost consciousness.
After waking back up, the boy said, he was threatened with a knife and firearm, tied up with shoelaces and an extension cord, and had duct tape placed over his mouth.
“The child also told detectives that Hairston held him at the campsite for multiple days and made him travel on the floorboard of his truck covered by a blanket,” the release continues.
After searching Hairston’s truck, his home in Hastings, and the campsite, detectives said they found duct tape, video surveillance equipment, and weapons that matched the child’s story.
Furthermore, an interview with Hairston revealed that he knew the boy was missing and endangered, but he couldn’t explain why he kept him from his parents, detectives added.
On Friday, the sheriff’s office announced even more charges being brought against Hairston, including kidnapping, aggravated child abuse, battery by strangulation, and robbery with a deadly weapon. Hairston is now being held without bond.
“Clearly, thanks to ‘see something, same 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,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “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."
According to the sheriff’s office, Hairston had been serving a 12-year sentence for three counts of false imprisonment.
Deputies also said he has previous arrests for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary with assault/battery, cruelty toward wife, disorderly intoxication, lewd/lascivious offenses committed upon a child, property damage, and sexual battery.
“This was a very suspicious incident that is still under investigation by our detectives, but I am thankful that nobody was seriously hurt and that we were able to recover a missing child from this pervert’s grasp,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “I also do not understand why a pervert who was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2004 was released after only five years in 2009. Clearly, he has not learned anything!”
According to investigators, Bishop may be a co-conspirator in the kidnapping with Hairston, and as of Friday, he faces an additional charge of grand theft of a motor vehicle. Bishop is currently in the custody of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.