The man accused of kidnapping a four-year-old girl from her Charleston home is a convicted felon who was released from prison less than two weeks ago, federal charging documents said.
Thomas Lawton Evans, 37, was arrested Wednesday during a police chase in Lauderdale county, after he handed the toddler Heidi Todd over to police in Alabama before speeding off.
Now that she has been rescued, new details about her abduction emerged Thursday after the FBI filed a kidnapping charge against Evans.
After being released from prison on Feb 1 Evans was supposed to be living in Upstate South Carolina, but allegedly traveled down to Charleston to carry out the attack on Heidi and her unsuspecting mother.
Evans apparently attacked Todd’s mother Brittany from behind early Tuesday, and potentially tied her up before fleeing with Heidi, the Post and Courier Reported.
Thomas Lawton Evans, 37, was arrested Wednesday during a police chase in Lauderdale county, after he handed the toddler Heidi Todd over to police in Alabama before speeding off
Evans apparently attacked Todd’s mother Brittany from behind early Tuesday, and potentially tied her up before fleeing with Heidi, the Post and Courier Reported. Brittany is pictured with another child
Authorities have not said if the Todds were targeted at random, and say there were no missteps in the handling of Evans case that led to this weeks events. Pictured is the Todds’ house in a suburb of Charleston
Brittany Todd suffered brain bleeding and was likely inside the Johns Island, South Carolina, house for more than eight hours before police learned of her predicament and Heidi’s likely kidnapping.
Authorities have not said if the Todds were targeted at random, and say there were no missteps in the handling of Evans case that led to this weeks events.
A spokesperson for the state agency that was keeping tabs on Evans, Pete O’Boyle, told the Post and Courier that Evans hadn’t missed any requirements of his release in the short time he’d been free.
Charleston police said Heidi is safe and in good spirits – describing the little girl as brave and strong
Because of that, services hadn’t yet had a chance to check in on him, he said Thursday.
He is now jailed in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, where he was arrested during Wednesday night’s police chase.
Charleston police said Heidi is safe and in good spirits – describing the little girl as brave and strong.
She is now back with her family – who have asked for privacy amid the national attention.
Heidi was reported missing on Tuesday after disappearing from her home in Charleston, where her mother was found badly injured.
Brittany was brutally beaten, allegedly by Evans, and Heidi was taken from the home. Two other children were left at the home with Brittany, though. Police think Evans may have followed the mother home from dropping her older children off at school in the morning.
The FBI put out an alert for the toddler, offering a $10,000 award to anyone who knew where she might be. An additional $10,000 was donated to the reward fund by an anonymous donor Wednesday.
On Wednesday evening Riverside, Alabama, Police Chief Rick Oliver said he found Evans sleeping in a car with Heidi in the woods near a railroad track in the town. He said Evans immediately handed over the child.
But when Oliver told Evans he would have to take him to the police station, he bolted in his car, the officer explained.
After she was out of harms way, Heidi stayed at the area fire station until state child welfare officials could get her. At the station some of the firemen gave her some cookies and milk.
A spokesperson for the state agency that was keeping tabs on Evans, Pete O’Boyle, told the Post and Courier that Evans hadn’t missed any requirements of his release in the short time he’d been free
The FBI put out an alert for the toddler, offering a $10,000 award to anyone who knew where she might be. An additional $10,000 was donated to the reward fund by an anonymous donor Wednesday
After she was out of harms way, Heidi stayed at the area fire station until state child welfare officials could get her. At the station some of the firemen gave her some cookies and milk
On Thursday afternoon city officials in Riverside posted a picture of Heidi on social media, where she is seen coloring with a purple crayon and looking completely at east.
‘We are overjoyed with the safety of the most precious little girl you will ever meet!!,’ the post read.
Evans’ criminal past spans over the past two decades, according to official court documents.
Evans’ criminal past spans over the past two decades, according to official court documents
He was arrested in 2000 and charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Police said he assaulted a 15-year-old girl when he was 19.
At the time Evans wasn’t required to register as a sex offender because he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.
Two years later he and another man were accused of robbery when he and another man grabbed a woman in downtown Charleston and attempted to snatch her purse. They threw her against a wall and took the purse and her bag of groceries. He was convicted of strong armed robbery and served two years probation.
In 2009 he and another person broke into a gas station and stole beer, cigarettes and lottery tickets. One hour later he robbed a second gas station in Charleston, this time at gunpoint. That time he was sentenced to 10 years on armed robbery and burglary charges.
While hebhidn bars he gardnered 14 disciplinary actions, according to South Carolina Department of Corrections paperwork. Eleven were in the past two years.
Some of those actions included threatening prison employees, possessing drugs and cellphoens and having a weapons, the Post and Courier reported.
On December 18 he used ‘threat and intimidation’ to hold his cellmate against his will.
He was sent to solitary confinement.
His projected release date was February 26, but he was set free at the start of the month due to a South Carolina prison policies.
He was sent to his home in Spartanburg County, which authorities made sure was suitable for his release. He was told he had to tell authorities if he was going to move towards the south of the state.
He did not report that he was going to Charleston ahead of Tuesday’s alleged kidnapping.
Evans has not been identified as a community safety threat.