VIDOR, Texas — The Vidor Police Department has arrested 23-year-old, former Orange County Deputy and former Vidor ISD police officer, Ethan Majors, and charged him with aggravated kidnapping according to a press release from Vidor Police Chief Rod Carroll.
On Sunday, November 17, 2024, the Vidor Police Department was notified of a man picking up and taking a 12-year-old girl to Lake Charles, Louisiana according to Chief Carroll.
The child was reportedly later returned to her residence that same morning.
Majors was a former Orange County Sheriff's Deputy who was fired by the Sheriff's Office according to Chief Carroll.
Majors also previously worked at Oak Forest Elementary from January 29, 2024 through May 10, 2024, before leaving to work at another law enforcement agency, according Vidor ISD spokesperson Bryan Brassard.
However, Majors then returned to work at the district from June 14, 2024 though October 4, 2024. This time resigning from his position. He was not working at the district during the time of the kidnapping.
On November 17, Vidor Police Dispatch received a call from a mother about her daughter sneaking out and returning to her house later. This began the investigation into the situation and Majors was identified as a suspect, according to Carroll.
Police don’t have an accurate picture of the time frame during which the child was taken, then driven to Louisiana and then returned. Carroll does say it was within, “a matter of several hours.”
Brassard says that when they were informed about Vidor Police Department's investigation, Vidor ISD also opened its own investigation into Majors.
The Vidor Police Department is holding a joint investigation with the Lake Charles Police Department which is ongoing, according to the press release.
Vidor ISD's investigation is ongoing as well according to Brassard.
Police are looking into other charges as evidence becomes available to prove up the aggravated kidnapping charge, and they’ will be filing for those charges to be presented to the Orange County District Attorney's office and possibly a grand jury, according to Carroll.
“We continue to be in contact with Lake Charles, PD, and as the case progresses, if there's additional charges rendered, then we will be notifying and executing warrants and making sure the case is taken to the point of justice being served," Carroll said.
They are also working on state charges as well, according to Carroll.
“We will then look at the possibility of presenting the case to our federal partners to see if the US Attorney's Office would like to prosecute it, but that, again, would be in conjunction with the Orange County DA 's office that they believe that the federal court system may be more appropriate for this crime," he said.
The child is with their parents now and Carroll says as far as they know right now, there were no weapons involved in the kidnapping.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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