FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is answering our questions about a recent kidnapping where two minors ended up in a car with a registered sex offender. Eyewitness News was the first to tell you on Friday that the suspect and a 15-year-old lured an 11-year-old to a campsite and tortured him for days.
Detectives are currently investigating a new case involving 15-year-old Junior Bishop. He has already been arrested for fleeing in a sex offender’s truck during a traffic stop and crashing into a deputy’s patrol car.
But now, because he’s not answering any questions, detectives have subpoenaed all of his social media accounts, where they said he was talking to the 11-year-old victim.
A tip that 60-year-old Darnell Hariston, a registered sex offender, had two kids in his truck led deputies in Flagler County to find a missing 11-year-old boy from St. John’s County. Bishop was also with Hariston at the time.
Detectives said Bishop and Hariston lured the 11-year-old to a campsite where they strangled him, tied him up and forced him to use drugs and alcohol for three days.
“Our victim’s family waited two days to even report their child was missing,” said Sheriff Rick Staly.
Staly said it’s not clear how the 15-year-old ended up with Hariston, but that many kids knew him because he fixed their ATVs. Based on no genuine concern from Bishop’s family, he believes he could have had a rough home life.
“A rural area, sparsely populated and I work on your ATV’s, I am your friend. I can’t think of a better opportunity for a pervert to go after kids,” said Staly.
The sheriff’s office is also working to charge Bishop with kidnapping, but because he isn’t cooperating, they are waiting for records from his phone and social media accounts.
“I hope the state attorney’s office will charge this 15-year-old as an adult,” said Staly.
Hariston is being held without bond. His charges include kidnapping, aggravated child abuse and battery by strangulation. He also has a lengthy criminal history and has served time in prison for similar crimes.
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