WHEELING, W.Va. — What started as a missing persons case in Ohio County turned into a kidnapping investigation in the early morning hours Tuesday when Wheeling Police said the victim, age 28, was found tied up in a house on Wheeling’s S. Broadway Street.
Around 9:15 p.m. Monday, Wheeling Police received a report of a missing adult.
The victim had last been seen at a house on Wheeling Island.
“A family member received a text message from the victim in this case. It didn’t really make sense. She was concerned and that’s how this all started,” said Philip Stahl, public information officer for the Wheeling Police Department.
Soon after 12 a.m. Tuesday, a person living on Wheeling’s S. Broadway Street called 911 to report hearing someone yelling. “That is how we discovered the victim,” Stahl said.
The victim was taken to Wheeling Hospital to be treated for injuries after being found handcuffed and restrained inside a house there, according to Stahl.
No arrest or arrests for the kidnapping had been made as of Tuesday morning.
“There is no evidence to believe that the public is in danger,” Stahl told MetroNews.
As for the investigation, “There’s a lot of interviews that are going to need to be taking place with those who were involved with this case. Right now, there’s not too many people, but we’re looking into it and we’ll go from there.”