A Hot Springs man and a Tennessee teen have been arrested in connection with the alleged kidnapping of a 17-year-old Hot Springs girl who was reported missing late Monday.
Samuel Wayne Bolling Jr., 38, and Dayla Diane Ferrer, 19, who lists an Atoka, Tenn., address, have both been charged with felony counts of kidnapping, aggravated robbery, first-degree false imprisonment and first-degree battery and are each being held at the Garland County jail without bond, according to police.
Hot Springs police spokesman officer Omar Cervantes confirmed early Wednesday the two were arrested in connection with the disappearance of Trynytee Case, 17, near the Pour Some Sugar On Me Sweet Shoppe, 502 Central Ave., shortly before 9:30 p.m. Monday.
According to an Amber Alert sent out early Tuesday, Case left work at the bakery along with another co-worker and the two were walking to their vehicles parked a block away. The two were met by an unknown female standing near a parked vehicle.
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The unknown female asked Case if she could use her phone, stating she was lost and her parents were staying in a condominium in Hot Springs, the alert said. The woman then changed her mind and told Case she needed to utilize the GPS coordinates and asked her to walk closer to the woman's vehicle.
During that time, Case's friend went to get her vehicle, which was parked in the city's parking garage. When the friend returned to pick up Case, she was nowhere to be found, according to the alert.
The friend attempted to call Case but no one answered. The friend "panicked and called Case's mother, who tried to call Case numerous times, the alert said.
Case reportedly answered and said, "everything is fine," but then a male voice came across the phone and demanded $10,000 for Case's return or "they would kill and cut up the victim," according to the alert. The phone went dead at that point.
The missing teen was found at approximately 3:20 p.m. at 4737 Central Ave. with minor injuries, according to a news release issued Wednesday morning from Hot Springs police.
Authorities said she was transported to a local hospital for medical assessment.
"Our prayers have been answered," Cutter Morning Star Superintendent Nancy Anderson said Tuesday afternoon after Case had been found safe. "We want to thank the law enforcement agencies that worked so diligently to bring Trynytee home safely. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support during this stressful event."
Information for this article was contributed by Brianna Kwasnik and Grant Lancaster of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.