Victim tells of escape from men
Past stories
Reward in disappearance; Woman last seen in North Charleston 3 months ago, published 01/04/08
Without a trace: Missing woman's family fears worst, published 12/26/07
Family frets over woman's disappearance, published 10/26/07
To offer tips
To provide information about the abduction of a West Ashley woman on Thursday night, call the Charleston County Sheriff's Office at 202-1700 or Crime Stoppers at 554-1111.
A young West Ashley woman said she was abducted Thursday night, blindfolded and taken to an abandoned house on James Island, where one of three men put a gun to her head and threatened to kill her if she moved.
But before she could find out what their motives were, she seized her first opportunity and ran, moving in a zigzag motion as bullets were fired at her, she said.
The woman considers herself lucky to be alive. The Post and Courier withheld her name because she said she is afraid the men will find her and finish what they started. Her account of the events of that night matches what she told deputies and the information in an incident report.
Now, authorities are looking for three black men in their late teens or early 20s. They were in a black, older-model Ford Crown Victoria.
About 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the woman, a hairdresser, received a call from a woman who claimed she was an acquaintance from church. The caller wanted her hair fixed and said she would send over a cousin to pick the hairdresser up.
On Friday, the victim learned that the caller was not the woman she knows from church but an impersonator.
The victim said she had a bad feeling from the beginning, but she needed the money, so she gave the caller directions to her home off Savannah Highway.
Soon afterward, a man pulled up in the Ford, she said. He had a short haircut, weighed about 175 pounds and wore gray Dickie's shorts and a white shirt. He was smoking a Newport cigarette.
"He had a deep voice," she said.
The driver said he had to pick up friends, which he did at a nearby bicycle shop, she said. Two more men got inside. One was at least 6 feet tall, 180 to 190 pounds, with shoulder-length braids. He wore a black shirt, blue jeans and black sneakers.
The other man was shorter and heavyset with short hair. He wore a red shirt with the brand name Akademiks written in white and black letters across the front.
She said they all made small talk until one of them suddenly wrapped his arm around the woman's neck and pushed her down in the back seat. She said he shoved his knee into her back as they wrapped a blindfold around her eyes. She fought and struggled, and they beat her.
She said she stopped fighting when one of the men twisted her arm behind her back and warned her not to try to get away.
She said that when the ride was over, the men walked her, blindfolded, into a building and threw her down in a chair. She heard the click of a gun being cocked next to her head, and a man gave her a harsh warning.
"He said, 'If you move, I'm going to kill you,' " she said.
The woman complied, but when the men moved to another area of the building, she lifted the blindfold slightly and peeked around the room. She was in the kitchen of a vacant house, she said.
She started sending a text message to a friend for help on her cell phone, but then she realized she wasn't far from the back door.
"I was thinking, 'I'm going to die. I have to get out of here,' " she said.
She was in luck. The door was unlocked, and she took a chance and ran. She heard the sound of footsteps behind her and the crackle of gunfire.
"I don't know how long I ran. I just ran, and ran and ran," she said.
She cowered behind trees and among shrubbery. She said more than three hours had passed since they had picked her up. It was dark, and she didn't know where she was.
Soon she spotted something she recognized — a big house on Riverland Drive. She was on James Island.
She has a friend who lives nearby and she said she ran more than a mile, called the friend and the friend came to get her. They called police.
On Friday, red marks could be seen in places on her body, and her cheek was swollen. She said she was aching all over.
"I don't feel like going anywhere or doing anything," she said. "I want to move away."
The Charleston County Sheriff's Office is investigating the abduction. No arrests were made Friday. Deputies located a vacant house on Central Park Road. There they found a shoe print that matched the woman's shoes, but no signs of gunfire, an incident report said.
Reach Nadine Parks at 937-5573 or nparks@postand courier.com.
E-mail this story 
Printer-friendly version
Notice about comments:
The Post and Courier is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. The Post and Courier does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our Web site.
Full terms and conditions can be read here.
Comments
This article has 42 comment(s)
Posted by ironhorse on September 7, 2008 at 5:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What is this crap? Someone makes up a tall tale and you go with it?
Clue: What woman has a phone while being abducted and it never rings? No one calls her....unlikely.
Posted by belovedbliff on September 7, 2008 at 6:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
She knew this people and something went very wrong. I can't wait until the real story comes out. What a coincindence, too--that she knew where she was on James Island.
Posted by Cid95 on September 7, 2008 at 7:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Agreed, actual events were probably a bit different than this story makes them out to be. The real story will emerge.
Posted by 10216340 on September 7, 2008 at 8:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Soooo, where is the information from police for this story. Sure, the police said they found a house with a women's footprints but still. If this happened as she said it did you would think the police would want to get the facts out there and ask for public assistance or additional information.
Posted by willie08 on September 7, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why did they blindfold her, but not tie her up?
Why did she run for more than a mile before calling her friend? Why did she call her friend and not the police first as soon as she realized where she was?
She could have called 911 while she was hiding behind the bushes. They can trace you from your cell phone, at least that's what SunCom tells me.
The police should try and solve this story before the papers publish it.
If this story is true, then it sounds to me like someone paid these thugs to kill her. Otherwise, why would they have targeted her like this?
Also, very stupid of her to get into a car with strangers, or tell strangers her address. STUPPPPIIIDDD!
Posted by jeff61 on September 7, 2008 at 9:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What she may have done is possibly give a false report to police.
I do not doubt these men abducted her. But what possible reason would these three men have to kidnap a hairdresser? Was she rich and was going to be held for ransom? Maybe the one needed a new braid weave and was short on cash? These three sound like the biggest dumbasses ever to kidnap someone,, and then leave them unrestrained and unattented. Who was the "friend" she was texting instead of dialing 911. Maybe she did not want the police involved? My opinion is this will turn out to be drug related. What other possible motive would these men have? The B.S flag has been thrown.
“The police should try and solve this story before the papers publish it.”
I disagree, this is the story she gave police. The P&C published it. I am sure the police will get many calls that will lead them to the truth. I say follow the “friend” she was texting.
Posted by jeff61 on September 7, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by willie08 on September 7, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The police should try and solve this story before the papers publish it.
Besides,, it looks as if this women went to the paper with her "Story" not the police.
Posted by jeff61 on September 7, 2008 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hmmm ,,,now that I think about it this sounds like a StephieM story,,, being victimized by men and then making a harrowing escape. I sure she will be here to give us insight to this.
Posted by ironhorse on September 7, 2008 at 10:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"The Post and Courier withheld her name because she said she is afraid the men will find her and finish what they started."
Could her name be Tawana Brawley???????????
Posted by coolfreaknbeans on September 7, 2008 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok maybe I haven"t had enough coffee yet.Who is Tawana Brawley?I think I'm missing a joke.
Posted by kikibird64 on September 7, 2008 at noon (Suggest removal)
Tawana Brawley.....ha ha ha ha!
Posted by justiceforsome on September 7, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm stunned that the author of this story is Nadine Parks...this poorly written trash is reminiscent of Glenn Smith.
As usual, the Post and Courier staff did their investigation/reporting from behind a desk with a cell phone.
I'm so glad that I don't pay for this pathetic fish-wrapper.
Posted by jammer on September 7, 2008 at 12:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
if true, these guys need to be shot on site...
stop that gene pool before it gets any larger and send a message to others who wish to terrorize other women like this
Posted by GreenvilleGirl on September 7, 2008 at 12:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ditto to most of the posts today. A few other observations from the story:
Why was she in the back seat of the car? Initially, the driver was the only person in the car. She should have been in the front passenger's seat.
If they really meant business, they would have taken her cell phone. More than likely it was in her purse. She also didn't mention anything about her purse and her scissors, combs, etc.
Didn't want her name released because they might try to find her? They already know her name and they know where she lives. Running to the paper would have been the LAST thing to do, especially so soon after the "incident".
This sounds like a case of "girl done messed with another girl's boyfriend" and the dissed girlfriend wanted to get back at her. We'll see ---- only time will tell.
What's so creepy is the parallel to an abduction, beating and rape that occurred in downtown Charleston last. August. If/when the police find the guys from this "prank", they should see how much they know about last August.
Posted by SomeTruthPlease on September 7, 2008 at 1:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A barrage of gunfire on James Island, and she's the only one who heard it? Only her shoe prints? Acquaintance from church, and what was on the caller i.d.? I've got one word for this story: BullShaCrap.
Posted by walleyedwoman1215 on September 7, 2008 at 1:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Some 20 years ago, teenager Tawana Brawley, who is black, claimed she was abducted and tortured by three white men and held overnight. She said they smeared her with dog feces and wrote racial slurs on her body. Then they put her in a large garbage bag and dumped her. The Rev. Al Sharpton went into foaming-at-the-mouth hysterics. Many African-Americans were enraged and said justice would never be served.
Then she admitted the whole thing was a hoax because she stayed out past curfew with her boyfriend and didn't want to get into trouble.
Kind of like Cathleen Crowell Webb, the New Hampshire girl who had sex w/her BF, then, fearing pregnancy, claimed a complete stranger named Gary Dotson had raped her. She picked him out of a lineup, there was a trial and he went to prison. Several years later she found God and recanted. She and Dotson were then booked on the a.m. talk shows. GMA host Phyllis George lost her job when she said, "Hey, you two, how about a hug?"
Stupidity knows no race or color.
Posted by tc1 on September 7, 2008 at 1:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
cfb,
google Tawana Brawley, it is, well just google it. This might be similar.
Posted by coolfreaknbeans on September 7, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks walleyedwoman1215 and tc1.As soon as I read your post I remembered the whole story.Whats sad is that bad apples like that ruin it for innocent victims of bizaare and violent crimes.No one believes them b/c of a few infamous nut jobs.
Posted by jammer on September 7, 2008 at 5:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
too bad there's never an Al Sharpton or the likes for people like Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom
extremely brutal rape murder case that didn't even garner national attention, because they were white victims of course
google them if you want to see the unspoken real brutality whites have to deal with on an all too often basis, and hardly no one seems to care or cover it in the national news
Posted by RTC on September 7, 2008 at 6:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CB and jeff, Is this crazy or what?
Mindless Ramblings of Stephanie Morosi
prepare to be offended if you have lived in the same place all your lifeMy Viewpoints on Some Hot Topics
...sometimes I even piss off friends and family
« S-L-U-T
A billion »
Self-defense is a selfish act of individualism.
WHEN ARE YOU PEOPLE GOING TO LEARN?
It has happened again. Some unarmed fool acted in self defense when confronted by someone with a gun. This one happened in Metairie, Louisiana. You drive through Metairie on the way from the airport to the French Quarter. A woman was at the Arby’s drive-thru with her 17-year-old son in the car. Suddenly a man walked up to the car. He had a gun. He pointed the gun at the woman and demanded her money and the car. He reached inside and tried to grab the woman out of the car. At this point the 17-year-old grabbed the gun and started wrestling with the perp. The gun went off. Nobody hit. The kid then got the gun and immediately squeezed off a few shots into the man who had attacked his mother. The perp is now in the hospital. Gunshot wounds in the head and torso.
What was this 17-year-old thinking?
He’s just a kid! He’s not trained to handle someone with a gun!
Doesn’t he know that he was supposed to just sit there and watch his mother get shot?
Come on, folks! You are not supposed to defend yourself!
I mean, even the mere suggestion that you should try to defend yourself is enough to get
your butt in a crack!
The local sheriff got it right. He said that it’s always safer to cooperate.
Just give them the money and the keys. It doesn’t matter if the man was in the
process of assaulting your mother. She should have given him the money and keys in
the first place. She deserved to be roughed up a bit!
Get with the program folks! Self-defense is a selfish act of individualism.
Surrender. Comply. Be a good Ameican. Baaaaa, baaaaaa.
This entry was posted on Sunday, July 6th, 2008 at 6:56 pm and is filed under Crime, Right to bear arms. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Leave a Reply
Name (required)
Mail (required)
Website
Comment
Search
Subscribe
RSS Bloglines Feedness Mi Yahoo! My MSN NetVibes Newsgator Rezzibo Rojo Technorati
Pages
Categories
Crime (5)
Just My Opinion (2)
Life in the US (11)
Right to bear arms (4)
Taxes (2)
Uncategorized (1)
Archives
July 2008
Mindless Ramblings of Stephanie Morosi is powered by WordPress
I feel dirty theme by studio ST
Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).
Posted by abitskeptical on September 7, 2008 at 7:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This story is very strange.
So is the "flight of ideas" RTC shared with us from stephaniem.
How do people live with all that drama? ...rhetorical question.
We all probably know people whose lives are in some constant stir. Usually their own decisions & actions are the cause of that. Sometimes it truly is not their "fault".
Unfortunately, sometimes one has to know one of these types of people for a little bit to figure out if they are having just a run of bad luck, or whether in some manner or another they create the chaos that is always swirling around them.
Posted by ChasCarolinaGirl on September 7, 2008 at 7:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay, I could hardly read everyones comments before I started getting disgusted. Have you thought that maybe she was telling the truth about this?
Stand ~ As for your comment about running a mile and having a cell phone on you? Well get this, when you are scared .. all you want to do is to get away! You want to run as far as you possibly can even w/ a cell phone. You just want to get out of the situation.
I was in a scary situation once in my past. I had a cell phone and I was scared to death. My friend was going to pick me up at the house where I was, but I snuck out and walked as far away as I possibly could so that the guy could not find me. I just wanted to get away from there. It is such a horrible feeling to think that you can trust someone and they only have intentions of hurting you.
I just hope that none of you have to ever experience anything like this. If this woman is fabricating any of this, that is one thing. Just think that it could all be true and please dont be so judgemental.
Posted by ChasCarolinaGirl on September 7, 2008 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If I were her, I would move in a heartbeat b/c someone clearly has it out for her. To know her # and now they know where she lives?
That is so scary to always have to watch over your shoulder.
Posted by RTC on September 7, 2008 at 7:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
abitskeptical, yes, those ramblings were from the notorious stephaniem.
Some of us saw a parallel between this story and some of her outrageous claims. The one that I posted was more to show how contradictory that woman can be since she claims to have killed a man under self defense.
If you are ever really bored just google her, and get an idea of how she thinks....really scary.
I, personally, received threatening e-mail from her ages ago, so I had to change my username. If I had only known that she would be arrested, then I surely would have saved that e-mail to show the prosecutors. Hindsight.... you know.
Posted by southerngirl45 on September 7, 2008 at 8:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OMG,If police fall for this one we better all move!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT A CROC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by ChasCarolinaGirl on September 7, 2008 at 8:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, I really hope that nothing happens to any of you. I wonder how you would feel that most would not believe a word you say if something horrible happened to you.
I doubt that any of you know for a fact as to what happened.. just being the usual judgemental small minded jerks. I feel sorry for you.
As for the possiblity of this being fake, she will get hers.
As for the possibility of it being true, Im looking forward to some of you eating crow.
Posted by abitskeptical on September 7, 2008 at 9:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
RTC-I did go to some her sites a while back when her case hit the papers & posters, like you, who'd been posting longer than I, indicated they were very unsure that things happened the way she reported. I agree, most of the stuff on her sites speaks for itself.
She is one of those people who might have had things happen to her when she was younger or little, but maybe not. I have known of folks who have made up an entire past history & then lived out a life that they think is commiserate w/ that while constantly referring to & weaving into the conversation this fantasy history. I saw it on the psych ward as a nursing student--histrionic/hysterical personality disorder. I'm not saying that is what stephm has, but it sure seems that way.
It is much more common that when bad things happen to a person when he or she is young that he/she does not go around advertising it. As a matter of fact, it is common that an abused child or adolescent never talks about it or waits until she/he is an adult & finally tells a person of trust. I think most people realize this intuitively & that is why almost everyone posting here, even if they vehemently disagree on other things, agree that something is not right w/ her & her ramblings.
It is too bad her case was dismissed when it was.
Posted by RTC on September 7, 2008 at 9:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ChasCarolinaGirl, I do believe that something happened to this lady, I'm just not sure what.
A scared person will do strange things and also may have trouble relating what happened due to extreme stress.
As they say, it will all come out in the wash.
She sure did have very good descriptions of the three men.
Posted by abitskeptical on September 7, 2008 at 9:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ChasCarolinaGirl: I think what most of us are thinking is "Who talks to the paper after something like this happens?"--especially so soon after it happens.
Something about it just seems off. We all could be wrong. The whole thing just seems very odd.
If indeed it all happened like she said then I hope to God the thugs are caught & prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Posted by ChasCarolinaGirl on September 7, 2008 at 10:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
RTC and Abitskeptical ~ I just know that when I read this story, for me personally, it brought back bad memories. That is why Im on the defensive for her in case it may be true.
She may have good descriptions of these guys because she was in the car with them and talking with them before they attacked her as it says here: "She said they all made small talk until one of them suddenly wrapped his arm around the woman's neck and pushed her down in the back seat." They blindfolded her after meeting her.
All that I am saying is that I know what its like to be on the other side of the situation. Until you are on that side, you may never truly understand. Its becoming a dog eat dog world and it scares me for my children having to grow up in a world like this. :-(
Posted by Lovely_One on September 8, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I read the story and it seems a little out of order. Did she go with the guys even after realizing that the person was an impersonator and not her friend from church? If so, that was not a smart thing to do. That would have sent red flags flying for me as soon as I found out someone else had made the call.
However, I hope and pray that if this event did occur these jerks are found and prosecuted. Oh and I hope she moves because the people do know her name and address already so withholding it from the papers is not much of a deterrent for them.
Posted by katrenavantassle on September 8, 2008 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am also waving the BS Flag here...but I can identify with running even though I have a cell phone. A phone isn't going to save you!!! I wish people would realize that just because you have a cell phone you are NOT SAFE!!! More and more women are getting themselves into bad situations because they think because they have a cell phone they can do whatever they normally would not do without one. THAT IS STUPID. A man who weighs 220 lbs against a woman of 120lbs with a cell phone...pleaseeeeeee! He can take that phone away and throw it one direction while throwing the woman in the trunk and be gone before the police show up!!
WAKE UP WOMEN!!!
I know someone who with a cell phone was running from a crazy boyfriend at 1:00 am in Goose Creek after subjected to physical abuse. She ran in the dark down the street and hid behind a store's ice machine until she felt safe enough out of his view to call for assistance. She didn't call the police on him in fear that he would kill her. She just wanted to get away and if she stopped to call right then, he would have seen her since he was out driving his truck looking for her!!! Thank God she is safe now. But still keeps a eye out for him to this day!!
Posted by forget on September 8, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This does sound very Tawana Brawleyish to me also. Most of the time I'll be on the victim's side because sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. I think it's interesting that these men knew where she went to church and the name of a fellow church goer. They also knew her phone number, her name and address. Then she gets into the backseat of a car with only one person in it? Then picks up two other men and she stays in the car?
On top of this she contacts the paper and gives her story but doesn't give her name in fear of retribution? When they already know everything they need!
Something does smell here.
Posted by ironhorse on September 8, 2008 at 3:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Chascountygirl: This story is a lie! It did not happen. If you were in the same situation once, you are stupid.
Posted by ChasCarolinaGirl on September 8, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ironhorse ~ So are you saying that all victims are stupid? If you read my comment above, it said that if she is lying, then she will get hers. I guess you were there that night b/c you know everything that did or didnt happen. Right? Know it all jerkoff!!
You have NO clue of what happened to me so you have NO right of saying that I was stupid. You are an idiot with a very small mind and so naive to the world around you.
Posted by Marianne0558 on September 8, 2008 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
stephaniem blog:
"
It upsets me that in one breath I am supposed to be able to write about my beliefs on abortion, religion, rape, crime, and how I like to enjoy life but in another breath, I am told that my views on subjects like abortion, religion etc can be used against me if I have a murder trial. I would rather have died on 9/14/2006 than have to think and act like a child again.
However, until I move to Florida or California,…..I will stop posting on this board as I just went through a domestic violence situation in which some people view me as guilty so I will stop posting until 2009."
***Yeahhhhhhh OK..that was 7-22-08***
Posted by GreenvilleGirl on September 8, 2008 at 5:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I just don't believe it happened the way she said it did. I'm not an investigator, but if many of us can see some potential flaws in her story, what do you think the officers who are investigating the story think?
When you have a gun pointed at your head, it's easier to forget things, not remember so much detail. When I was victimized by during an armed robbery, I didn't call the paper. I was asked not to comment to the media while the case was being investigated, especially since the guy had not been caught yet.
This creep had all the information regarding my name, my home and work addresses, a key to my house and my office. There were also other witnesses who saw him and his vehicle. I had been almost scared to death, and there was NO WAY I wanted to draw attention or endanger anyone close to me.
Posted by ironhorse on September 8, 2008 at 7:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ChasCarolinaGirl, you are a complete retard to be in a similar situation....meaning, you are a liar and have lied about a similar cover-up (drugs, adultery, bail jumper) pick one. The story doesn't make sense. Similar to your situation, you are a liar or a moron, which is it?
By the way, how are things going in Gadsden Green. Figure out who the father is yet? Not all six of your kids, just one at least.
Posted by ChasCarolinaGirl on September 8, 2008 at 8:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ironhorse ~ Well I guess that makes you an abuser, rapist and your children are probably delinquents that do not know how to behave because you dont know how to teach them to. If you do not have children, hopefully you are sterile. Someone like you shouldn't be allowed to reproduce.
You are a F'in loser!
Posted by ironhorse on September 8, 2008 at 8:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by ChasCarolinaGirl on August 29 at 10:38 a.m.
Yeah but imagine how relaxed everyone would be if they smoked pot, which is better for your body b/c it is all natural. ;-)
Hey stoner, you are a liar, you want sympathy. Get your legs outta the air and get your ramen soup off lay-a-way....you might get the munchies real quick you pothead! (And you wonder why your kids are retarded.)
Posted by ironhorse on September 8, 2008 at 8:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hockey Mom, I love Sara and everything she stands for!
Posted by candybluebaby25 on September 9, 2008 at 7:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i just wanted to say that i know the victim in this case...i think she was pranked called...now for the story that was printed its a bunch loop holes in the story...now for people who are saying that if they follow the friend she was texting they will find out what really happened..thats not correct cause the friend she was texting did not know what was going on until after she picked her up...the friend did advise her to call the police but the victim said no...the police was called by someone else i dont know that information...but i do agree that the story does not make sense about the kidnapping but some parts of the story are true..