Convicted child molestor gets LIFE in prison for snatching little girl, chaining her to tree by her neck

A North Carolina  jury convicted a repeat sex offender on numerous charges on Wednesday, after he tied a little girl up to a tree in 2016, sexually assaulted her, and left her chained by her neck while he fled the scene.

CBS reports that on Sept. 14, 2016, 47-year-old Douglas Nelson Edwards rode his moped down River Road in Monkey Junction, when he spotted a 6-year-old little girl playing in her front yard. He got off of his moped, walked up to her, quickly snatched the little girl, and sped away.

After riding approximately 2 miles, Edwards pulled over and took the girl to a secluded area around 450 feet from the road. He chained her to a tree by her neck and began sexually assaulting her. He then sped off, leaving the little girl chained to the tree and alone. She was there for 17 hours; she stayed overnight while rain started pouring down. She was found the following day by rescue volunteers, She was scared, confused, and hungry, but fortunately, still alive.

Police eventually found Edwards after interviewing numerous witnesses who spotted him in previous weeks. After his arrest, he eventually admitted he tied the little girl to a tree, but denied that he sexually assaulted her.

In court on Tuesday, the convict testified that he couldn’t remember what happened, had no memory of snatching the little girl from her yard, and denied accusations that he left her on the tree to die.

In 1996, Edwards was sent to prison for “first-degree sexual offense and indecent liberties with a minor.” He spent 16 years behind bars before his release in 2012.

Sentencing for his latest convictions, which include attempted murder, kidnapping, indecent liberties with a child, statutory sexual assault, and assault with a deadly weapon, begins on Thursday.

[Feature Photo: Police Handout]