Firefighters rescued a homeless kidnapped woman found in the boarded garage of a Houston rapper.
The woman, who was allegedly kept hostage by 52-year-old Lee Carter for over four years, was discovered in April when she used his computer to alert police to her situation.
Kidnapped woman found after calling Houston police
Harris County District Attorney’s Office prosecutors allege that a crew from the Houston Fire Department responded to Carter’s residence on Perry Street on April 7.
When they forced the garage door open at Carter’s Houston, Texas residence, the crew found a pregnant woman at a dangerously low weight of 70 pounds, locked inside.
Prosecutors stated that the malnourished woman, standing at 5-foot-2 and weighing 70 pounds, emanated an extremely unpleasant odor when she was rescued.
Her hair was described as “crusty,” and she was wearing “filthy dirty” clothing, namely a T-shirt and shorts.
The living conditions the woman, who’s age was not released, was subjected to were described as putrid.
Within the room, authorities discovered a makeshift toilet that was inoperative, a vomit-covered mattress, and a few packages of chips and Twinkies, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit describes the garage as appearing to be a single-car unit with boarded-up windows and a non-functioning garage door that prevented vehicle entry.
Kidnapped woman found after four years in captivity
The victim told police that she was panhandling in Houston four or five years ago, when Carter allegedly offered her assistance and she got in his vehicle.
She was pregnant at the time of her abduction, but privacy laws have prevented the court from providing any information about the child.
Carter was charged with felony aggravated kidnapping on Thursday, almost nine months after the woman was rescued from his garage.
Despite the severity of the charges, Carter was out of jail by Sunday, when he posted $100,000 bail.
His lawyer told reporters that Carter, a rapper who owns Rhyme Time Records, was actually in a “romantic relationship” with the victim.
Defense attorney George Powell said they “have been together for years and they have a child together.”
Dead body discovered at home of Houston rapper where kidnapped woman was found
In an odd twist, authorities discovered a dead woman in the same garage the victim had been confined to just two months after she was rescued.
61-year-old Catherine Roberts’ body was recovered from Carter’s home on July 5, but police say there was no foul play.
“It wasn’t ruled a homicide. It was a natural cause, so there wouldn’t be any [police] investigation,” Houston police spokesperson Shay Awosiyan told NBC News.
“It wasn’t a homicide. The alleged kidnapping is its own investigation.”
Roberts reportedly passed due to alcoholic liver disease and hepatitis C, which spurred internal bleeding.
However, Carter’s neighbors were convinced that Roberts was the woman who he allegedly held hostage, a theory that Houston Police shut down quickly.
“The victim in that case is alive and well,” Awosiyan commented. “She was found to be in good health [and] did not appear to be in any danger. She’s alive and well.”
Awosiyan said that police have been in contact with the victim as recently as last week.
“I can only tell you what we know for facts: I am saying these are two incidents,” he explained.
“One was reported in April, and then the other incident happened in July, the DOA call to that residence. As of right now, it’s different incidents.”
