Man accused of kidnapping 6-year-old child takes the stand
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The State is expected to rest its case on the fifth day of trial for Douglas Edwards.
Edwards is the man accused of kidnapping a 6-year-old girl in New Hanover County last year.
On Monday, the now 7-year-old child testified remotely from another room in the courthouse. The child told the jury she was taken from the stairs of her home then taken to the woods. She said while in the woods ‘the man that took her’ kissed her on the mouth and took off his pants. She said the man that took her also put a chain around her neck.
This morning, the state called licensed clinical social worker Elizabeth Uzcategui to the stand. Uzcategui said she is the program director at Clinica Latina at Coastal Horizons. Uzcategui said she works with children who have been involved in a traumatic event including sexual assault.
Uzcategui said she has been working with the victim in this case.
The defense objected to this witness and got to cross examine Uzcategui on her expertise. The defense asked Uzcategui about error rate.
The judge said Uzcategui is allowed to be called an expert.
Uzcategui said she performed a clinical assessment of the victim. Uzcategui said the victim had no history of a mental health disorder before the kidnapping. She said the child was brought to her because of the event.
Uzcategui said the child now has nightmares, is afraid to go outside, more irritable, has to sleep with her parents sometimes. The defense objected during this testimony.
Uzcategui said she also spoke with the child’s mother. Uzcategui said mom told her the child is afraid of being around strange men and is also afraid one of her siblings will be kidnapped. Uzcategui said she spoke with the child during therapy sessions in her office with the door closed.
Uzcategui said the child was very shy and when she started asking about the incident, the child hid under the chair. Uzcategui said the child was also hysterical at times. Uzcategui said she saw the child once a month or sometimes more. There was one gap of about 8 weeks during treatment.
Uzcategui said they did a trauma narrative with the child. Uzcategui discussed a drawing the child made during a trauma narrative. The drawing was published for the jury. It looked like a tree outside with something next to it.
Uzcategui told the jury what the child told her about the event. Uzcategui said the child told her the man touched her in her private part and it “hurted” a lot. She said the child also said it was raining outside.
The next witness, is Edwards’ last sexual assault victim. The judge explained that to the jury.
The woman is now 29 years old. The judge said she was six when the assault happened. It happened in October 1994. The woman said Douglas Edwards rented a room out in her home when she was six. She said he was not a family friend. He just rented a room out.
The woman said in Oct. 1994, Edwards made a point to isolate her and would put her on his lap and then he would stick his hand in her pants. The woman said he would call it the tickle game and would touch her private parts and sometimes he wanted her to play with his snake.
One time, she said Edwards brought her into his bedroom and put her on the bed and spread her legs and put his mouth on her private parts. The victim said she said told him she had to go to the bathroom. She said when he realized she did not really have to go to the bathroom Edwards tried again and then she kicked him in the mouth. She said Edwards threatened her if she told someone what happened.
Then, she said she told her mom. The defense did not cross examine the victim.
Then, the state called Jennifer Wittenburg to stand. She is deputy clerk in New Hanover County. Wittenburg said Edwards was sentenced in the case the jury just heard about for first degree sexual offense and indecent liberties with a child.
After Wittenburg, the state rested its state.
After the jury left, the defense made some motions to have certain charges dismissed including attempted murder. The judge denied those motions.
The defense called Detective Sorg to the stand. The defense asked Sorg about Edwards’ arrest on Sept. 15, 2016. Sorg said Edwards was not told what he was arrested for at that time.
The defense asked Sorg if Edwards told Sorg he was planning on taking food and water back to girl on September 15, 2016. Sorg said yes.
The defense then called Edwards to the stand.
Edwards says growing up in Cumberland Co. with mother’s boyfriends was pretty violent. He said he got beat up or kicked out. He said one of the boyfriends put him through a wall. He said DSS took him at one point.
Edwards said one of his mom’s boyfriends sexually assaulted him when he was 8. He said a neighbor sexually assaulted him when he was 10.
Edwards said he grew up around a lot of parties, drugs, and alcohol. Edwards said his mom passed away last month.
Edwards said he worked in construction on Sept. 14, 2016 on Newkirk Ave. Edwards says he could either take River Rd. or Carolina Beach Rd. to get to work from his mother’s house. He said he had to go to his mom’s house every day.
Edwards said his girlfriend in Sept. 2016 was six months pregnant at the time and he was not the father. Edwards said his girlfriend Jessica did not stay with him on Sept. 13 and 14, 2016 because they got into an argument.
Edwards said he went to work on Sept. 14, 2016 and worked all day and did not take a lunch break. He said he was not feeling well and told his boss and went home.
Edwards said he does not remember leaving work. He said it may have been around 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. He said he was exhausted and had no energy.
Edwards says the next thing he remembers was that he was in the middle of a neighborhood he had never been in and a little girl was on his moped.
Edwards said he was trying to figure out why the girl was on his moped. He said she didn’t have a helmet on. He got off to get her a helmet.
Edwards said he cannot remember doing the things the child testified he did yesterday. Edwards said he was scared. He said he was scared that he had a child on his moped. Edwards said he doesn’t remember which way he went on River Road.
Edwards said he did not see a place to where he could leave the girl. Edwards decided to pull over at the barriers on River Road. He figured police would be looking for him.
Edwards said he decided to hide her.
“That was the only thing I could think of,” Edwards said. “I hid her because I didn’t want to get caught by the police.”
Edwards said he didn’t know where she came from or he would have taken her back. Edwards said he was going to find a way to release her.
Edwards said he carried her into the woods and chained her to the tree with chain he uses for his moped.
Edwards said he kissed the girl on the forehead not on the mouth. He also said that he did not stick her fingers inside the girl’s genitals and that the girl’s story has changed. Edwards said he did not pull his pants down in front of the girl despite what she testified.
Edwards said he walked out and did not know where he was going. Edwards said he told the girl to just lay there and wait for him to come back and he would be back and take her to her mother.
Then, Edwards left, but he was not sure where he was. He was trying to go to his mother’s house.
Edwards said he got pulled over. Edwards said he was surrounded by police. He said he did not tell them anything because the officers did not say he was under arrest. Edwards said he wanted to release the girl without getting caught. But, Edwards said he knew his home was under surveillance.
Today we learned Edwards wrote an apology letter to the victim the day of his arrest asking for her forgiveness. Edwards teared up as he was asked to read it to the jury. Part of the letter Edwards wrote stated, “I don’t know why I did what I did, I ruined her life and mine.” adding, “I’m glad no real bad harm was done or worse, just know that if I could change it I would. I don’t know why I did such an awful thing.”
Edwards was also asked to read the letter he wrote to the victim’s mother, this letter resulted in an intimidation charge. Edwards says he got her name and the address from a police report he was given.
Edwards said he never intended to harm or sexually harm the child. The court revealed Edwards also sent a letter to his aunt asking her if she knew of any jurors that would be on his side in this case.
Closing arguments are set to begin tomorrow, Wednesday September 20th at 9:30 a.m.
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