Posted by By Amanda Klein | January 9, 2019
State police in Somerset announced the arrest of a Cumberland, Maryland man who they allege is responsible for the rape and abduction of a 10-year-old girl on Sept. 19, 1999.
Authorities said that Timothy D. Nelson Jr., 50, was linked to the assault by DNA evidence.
Nelson allegedly abducted the young girl in Shade Township while she was walking with two other girls. He started speaking with them, then suddenly grabbed the girl, tossed her over his shoulders and took her to West Virginia, where police say he sexually assaulted her.
She was released the next day in a remote location near Markleysburg in Fayette County, a few miles from the West Virginia border.
Nelson faces charges of kidnapping, rape, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, making terroristic threats and aggravated indecent assault on a person less than 13-years-old.
Authorities say they will release additional information concerning the case during a press conference on Thursday.
Nelson is currently in police custody.
Amanda Klein can be contacted at amanda.klein@grantstreetnews.com
