HOUSTON — A man is facing charges after a woman said she was kidnapped, assaulted and held without food or water for days.
The Harris County Constable said in a news release that deputies responded to help a woman on Dec. 29 who had been “severely assaulted” by a man she had met online. Deputies said that the victim arrived at the man’s home on Dec. 24 and was “held against her will until she was able to escape and seek help from a neighbor” on Dec. 29.
Deputies arrested Zachary Mills on charges of aggravated kidnapping and said additional charges may be filed pending the outcome of their investigation.
In court documents obtained by WFAA, the victim told police that Mills attacked her when she refused his sexual advances, first hitting her and then biting her before hitting her with a screwdriver handle.
“The victim, in this case, had severe injuries to her face, orbital sockets, lower extremities,” Precinct 4 Capt. Jonathan Zitzmann told WFAA. “Thankfully, we were able to get her to the hospital very quickly.”
The victim told police that she tried to leave but Mills would not let her go and refused to give her food or water for the five days she was held captive, KPRC reported.
“These are egregious allegations, but I have not seen anything in the allegations that make them credible,” Chris Denuna, Mills’ attorney, told WFAA.
The victim was able to escape from the apartment when Mills left to go to his father’s house, KPRC reported. The victim told police she ran out the door and asked the first people she came in contact with for help.
Deputies warned people using dating apps to be cautious.
“Try to meet in a public setting, ideally meet in a group setting, do what you can to know individuals before you find yourself in a one-on-one situation,” Zitzmann told WFAA.
The dating app Bumble said in a statement to KPRC, “We are shocked and saddened to hear about this horrible crime. We blocked this member as soon as we were made aware of this situation and in accordance with our community guidelines. We also have a dedicated law enforcement team available to respond to any requests from law enforcement as needed. We are dedicated to building a community where our members feel safe to make connections and build meaningful relationships.”