By Jatara McGee |
Posted: Mon 7:18 PM, Jul 16, 2018 |
Updated: Tue 7:39 AM, Jul 17, 2018
KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- UPDATE 7/16/18 @ 10:40 p.m.
A suspended West Virginia Child Protective Services worker was re-arrested late Monday night, state police say.
Dustin Kinser was arrested on a warrant stemming from a domestic incident Sunday night, troopers say. Kanawha County Sheriff's Deputies say they arrested him during a traffic stop Monday.
Kinser had posted bond in connection with the case of a 17-year-old girl who went missing from Lincoln County early this month and was found later in Kanawha County.
He was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor in that case.
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ORIGINAL STORY 7/16/18
A 17-year-old girl missing from Lincoln County has been found safe in Kanawha County. The man she was found with, employed as a Child Protective Services worker, is facing criminal charges.
The teen was reported missing Saturday, July 7, after her family filed a police report with West Virginia State Police in Lincoln County. Family members say the teen is mentally unstable and feared she had run away from home.
Days later, South Charleston Police officers found the missing girl sitting in a vehicle with Dustin Kinser at McDonald's on Corridor G. Investigators believe the teenager had been with Kinser for several days before reaching out to a friend for help and giving the friend her exact location.
Police responded to the fast food restaurant shortly after.
According to a criminal complaint, Kinser traveled to the teenage girl's home in Lincoln County and picked her up after meeting her on a social media app and making the plans to meet up. Investigators say Kinser knew how old the girl was prior to meeting her.
"This person does hold a position of trust," says Senior Trooper M.R. Shaffer with the West Virginia State Police Crimes Against Children Unit. "Sometimes you do get a bad seed. You can't let one person determine your opinion of this organization as a whole."
Troopers tell WSAZ that Kinser is employed as a CPS worker in Kanawha County with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. He told investigators he found the teenager in Charleston and "felt sorry for her" so he took her to his house in the Campbell's Creek area of Kanawha County.
The teen's family had been searching for her for several days, concerned about her mental status.
"You have all the emotions going on of not knowing where this child is and not knowing if they're OK or in danger, if they're dead or alive," Senior Trooper Shaffer says.
During the investigation, troopers obtained a search warrant for Kinser's cell phone. He was then arrested and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The victim also told investigators Kinser has at least two inappropriate pictures of her.
In court records, investigators say Kinser took the 17-year-old to his home and also rented a hotel room in Kanawha City. During the time the teen was in his care, troopers say the girl was photographed with alcohol.
According to West Virginia State Police, Kinser has been suspended by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
In an incident connected with the ongoing investigation, Kinser is facing felony charges for terroristic threats. The day after he was found in a car with the missing teenager and his phone was seized, court records allege Kinser threatened police officers.
According to a criminal complaint, Kinser called his mother several times on the phone, swearing at her and angry that police would not return his phone.
During the phone call, an officer heard Kinser say "let another pig pull up in here, and I'll pop all of them," a reference to shooting police officers.
Court records also allege that earlier that day, Kanawha County Sheriff's deputies were at Kinser's home while his wife got some of her things from the home. Deputies say while they were there, Kinser made a threat toward police officers.
Monday, he is out of jail on bond.
WSAZ has reached out to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources for comment but has not heard back yet. We will update this story when we do.
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