10-year-old abducted found alive, tied up in closet; suspect arrested - USA Today

A 10-year-old girl who was abducted from an Oregon apartment was found alive, tied up in a closet more than 12 hours later, authorities said.

Officials in Canby, Oregon, said a man entered an apartment at about 1:39 a.m. local time on Oct. 28, allegedly "violently assaulted" a 12-year-old child, then took her 10-year-old sister.

The 12-year-old was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Officials haven't given an update on her condition.

"Very early this morning, a family's worst nightmare happened. The young child...was taken by force. Her sister was viciously assaulted," said Chris Owen, chief deputy district attorney of Clackamas County.

The Canby Police Department responded to the scene, and were joined by other law enforcement agencies including the FBI in search efforts.

More than 12 hours later, at about 2:45 p.m. local time, the girl was found at a residence in Oregon City about 10 miles away, police said. She was found tied up in a closet and was taken to a medical facility for treatment of her injuries and evaluation, the U.S. Marshals Service said.

A suspect was identified as 35-year-old Vince Edgar Chavez, who was arrested Oct. 28 at the residence where the girl was found, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Chavez attempted to escape as law enforcement entered, the Marshals Service said.

It was not immediately clear if Chavez had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

Owen said an announcement of criminal charges would be forthcoming.

"Thank you to everyone who shared the information, helped spread the word, and supported the efforts to bring [her] home safely," State Sen. Christine Drazan, a Republican representing Canby who is running for Oregon governor, said in a post on social media. "Let’s wrap our arms around both children and their family as they begin to recover from this horrific tragedy."

Katie Livermore covers public safety and breaking news for the Statesman Journal. Livermore can be reached at Klivermore@statesmanjournal.com