Family: Former boyfriend was 'obsessed' with abduction victim
GERMANTOWN, Pa. -- As the search continues for the woman forcibly abducted in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood, her family is talking about a former boyfriend who, they say, was "obsessed" with her.
Carlesha Freeland-Gaither has been missing since being snatched off the street Sunday night.
Surveillance video not only showed Carlesha's abduction, it also showed the vehicle involved.
Police say that car had a front license tag which indicates it could be from Maryland.
Carlesha was raised in Maryland and returned to Philadelphia two years ago.
The family says a former boyfriend from Maryland was obsessed with her and tracked her down.
"It scared her so she backed off from him, but her found her. When she came up here her found her," one family member said.
Meanwhile, Carlesha's ATM card was used at an ATM just off I-95 in Aberdeen, Maryland at 6:01 a.m. Monday morning. A surveillance image of the person who used the card was shown to the family.
"I did not recognize the person in the picture, but I know (the boyfriend) has a light complexion. The picture was not very clear, but - if I had to say - it's a possibility," said Carlesha's grandmother, Ana Mulero.
Carlesha's family is pleading for her safe return.
"Please give me back my child. Please give me give my baby. I just want my daughter. Please let her go," said her mother, Keisha Gaither.
"Just release her, we're not asking for anything else. If you want somebody, come get me," her father, Carl Freeland, said. "Whatever you're asking for, just get into contact with me and my family. All we want back is my daughter."
A $47,000 reward is being offered in this case. Some of the money is being offered for both an arrest and conviction, some for an arrest only.
Authorities hope the reward and the dramatic surveillance video of the kidnapping released Monday will lead to a break in the case.
"We need to find this young lady," said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. "We need to find the person responsible and get him in custody and get her home safely."
The surveillance video released by police on Monday shows Freeland-Gaither's violent abduction in chilling detail.
VIDEO: Germantown abduction caught on video
It happened at 9:40 p.m. Sunday in the 100 block of West Coulter Street.
You can see someone park a 2000-2002 dark gray metallic 4-door Ford Taurus with Pennsylvania plates by the street.
A man in a hooded sweatshirt gets out of the car and goes out of view, but then comes back dragging Carlesha.
She is seen struggling against her abductor while being dragged down the street. Police say she kicked out both rear windows just before the car sped away.
Police found Carlesha's glasses and mobile phone lying on the road where the abduction occurred.
On Monday they also picked up a glove at the scene as possible evidence.
Carlesha's family says she worked as a nurse and had spent the evening visiting with her godson before heading home.
They say she was just blocks from her home when she was abducted.
The suspect is described as a black male, 5'10, medium-heavy build, 25-30 years-of-age, medium brown complexion, wearing a dark colored jacket with a dark colored hood possibly a hooded sweatshirt underneath, dark colored hat, and dark colored pants.
The vehicle is described as a 2000-2002 dark gray metallic 4-door Ford Taurus with an unknown PA license number, an unknown plate on the front bumper, rear spoiler, and both driver and passenger side rear windows broken out. The vehicle is missing inspection stickers and has an unknown item in the center bottom of the front windshield.
Anyone with information about the incident or Carlesha's whereabouts is being asked to call Philadelphia Police Northwest Detectives at 215-686-3353.
