A Texan man was taken into custody for kidnapping and holding a woman hostage after snatching her off the street nearly five years ago while she was pregnant. Lee Carter, 52, is now facing charges of aggravated kidnapping after law enforcement found the victim locked in a garage attached to his home in Houston.
Houston Police Department Commander Michael Collins later confirmed that Lee, also known as Lee 'Viper' Carter, a rapper based in Houston, has been alleged to have detained a woman against her will at a home located at 5251 Perry Street. "My heart goes out to the woman involved," Collins said. "She is a victim," he added.
Kidnaped and Raped Pregnant Woman
According to court documents dated April 7, 2023, officers from the Houston Police Department responded to a report of a kidnapping in progress at 5251 Perry Street in Houston. While at the scene, they heard a voice coming from the garage.
Footage from Fox 26 shows officers breaking the window of the garage, where they found a dog and a mattress—the area where police suspect the victim was held captive.
According to authorities, when they found the victim in April, she was around 30 years old, malnourished, and weighing just over 70 pounds. She reportedly said that she had not showered in two months.
As of Sunday night, online records indicate that Carter is still in jail on a $100,000 bond. Local station KHOU reported that officials have not provided a reason for the nine-month gap in arresting Carter.
The victim revealed that she met Carter, also known as the rapper Viper, approximately four or five years ago while she was pregnant and panhandling off Almeda Geona.
Snatched Away from the Street
Carter initially stopped to give her a dollar, but shortly after, he returned and offered help if she got into his car. Over the next four to five years, the victim said that Carter kept her confined in his garage, coercing her into engaging in sexual acts and taking drugs repeatedly.
"Defendant [Carter] would force her to take pills along with crack cocaine and other illegal narcotics, causing her to become physically unable to leave the location," said court documents.
Luckily, the victim managed to use Carter's laptop and reached out to the police through the Text Now application.
The victim mentioned that she had previously tried to escape by breaking one of the windows and crawling out. Although she was taken to the hospital at that time, Carter once again picked her up from there and brought her back to the garage, where he boarded up the windows.
The status of the victim's pregnancy during her captivity remains unclear. A warrant against Carter was reportedly filed in April, but his arrest did not occur until Friday.
Police were summoned for a welfare check at the home, discovering the dog inside. Carter was subsequently arrested at a motel and is currently held in Harris County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
