Inset: Darnell Hairston (Flagler County Sheriff”s Office). Background: Cops in Florida arrest Hairston after he allegedly kidnapped an 11-year-old boy (Flagler County Sheriff’s Office).
A Florida resident finds himself starting the new year in jail, facing allegations of abducting an 11-year-old boy from a campsite and restraining him with shoelaces and duct tape.
The incident came to light on December 31 when the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office was alerted about a sex offender, 60-year-old Darnell Hairston, who was reportedly traveling with two minors. One of these children had been reported missing three days earlier, according to a press release from the agency. Hairston’s vehicle, a pickup truck with a camper attached, was stopped by deputies on U.S. Highway 1 at Palm Coast Parkway. When approached by law enforcement, Hairston lowered his window and extended his arms outside, displaying signs of anxiety and restlessness, as noted by the deputies.
One of the minors appeared visibly uneasy, prompting officers to escort him out of the vehicle for a conversation away from Hairston. During this interaction, Hairston attempted to flee but stumbled and fell on the roadway, according to police reports. In the ensuing struggle, Hairston allegedly tried to seize a deputy’s firearm.
Additional officers arrived on the scene and successfully apprehended Hairston. Meanwhile, the other minor reportedly drove off in the truck but was subsequently detained.
Investigators interviewed the 11-year-old, who recounted a distressing experience.
“The young victim was visibly shaken and terrified,” the deputies reported.
He said he had been kidnapped after he was lured to a campsite. Hairston allegedly choked him “until he lost consciousness.” When he awoke, Hairston threatened him with a gun and knife before he tied him up with shoelaces and an extension cord and covered his mouth with duct tape, police say.
Hairston allegedly held the boy at the campsite for multiple days and forced him to lay on the floorboard of his truck while covered with a blanket when the suspect drove.
Investigators searched the suspect’s vehicle, home and campsite and found several items including duct tape, video surveillance equipment and weapons that were consistent with the victim’s statements.
In an interview after receiving his Miranda rights, Hairston allegedly admitted he knew the boy was missing but never called cops. He is facing a slew of charges including kidnapping of a child under 13, aggravated child abuse, battery by strangulation and robbery with a deadly weapon. He also faces charges of resisting arrest with violence.
Hairston is at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility without bond. He’s slated to appear in court on Jan. 27. Per Florida’s sex offender registry, Hairston has previous convictions for lewd and lascivious behavior with a child under the age of 16 and false imprisonment.
Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement he hopes “this pervert will face justice” and serve the rest of his life in prison.
“Clearly, thanks to ‘see something, say 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,” Staly said. “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.”
