CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Two people are behind bars and police are looking for a third in connection with a kidnapping over the weekend in Putnam County.
Putnam County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested Kwame Bates, of Martinsburg, and Bobbie Johns, of Charleston in connection with two people being held captive for nearly a day.
Bates is charged with four counts of kidnapping, assault & battery, two counts of child endangerment and possession. Johns was charged with four counts of kidnapping and two counts of Child Endangerment.
Deputies responded to a call Sunday at a trailer on Silver Street in Poca where a neighbor reported two people being held captive.
In an interview with WSAZ, Putnam County Sheriff Steve Deweese said the call came in after a child had walk over to a person with a note.
“The note basically described the incident in detail,” said Deweese. “But it basically wanted the neighbors to let them know they were being held captive.”
When deputies arrived on scene, they found two people being held in separate rooms in the trailer.
The victims told police that around 8 p.m. Saturday, two men and a woman came to the trailer looking for narcotics they believed that they were withholding from them. From that time till deputies arrived Sunday at 11:30 a.m., the victims were reportedly questioned by the suspects and the male victim was even beaten.
Deputies arrested Bates and Johns shortly after arriving on scene. A third suspect, Roosevelt McDuffie, of Hurricane, took off before deputies arrived. Deputies have obtained warrants for McDuffie.