- Jon Thompson, 40, was arrested Friday after police rescued a five-year-old from a closet in his home
- Tontitown police bodycam footage showed the hidden compartment where the child was kept
- He is charged with interference with custody, first-degree deprivation of liberty and endangering the welfare of a minor
A shocking video shows the moment Arkansas police raided a home and found a 5-year-old girl hiding inside – and now the homeowner is facing a slew of criminal charges.
Jon Thompson, 40, of Tontitown, Arkansas, was arrested Friday after police came to his home the day before and rescued a child hiding in a closet.
Police bodycam video showed the man wearing overalls and a hat leading police to a closet in the home.
After rummaging through items blocking the secret door, a small five-year-old child emerged and was taken to the Department of Social Services.
“She was very emotional when she came out and was pretty scared.” “He had instructed her not to make any noise or reveal that she was there,” Detective Keith Lindley told USA TODAY.
Tontitown police body camera footage showed them rescuing a five-year-old girl from a secret closet compartment
Jon Thompson, 40, was charged with interference with custody, first-degree false imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a minor
The child was uninjured in the incident.
According to The Washington County Jail Intake, the 40-year-old is now charged with interference with custody, first-degree false imprisonment, endangering the welfare of a minor and possession of body armor and drug paraphernalia.
Tontitown police assisted DHS officers in taking custody of the child as they attempted to contact Thompson, KNWA reported.
The man claimed a judge had granted him custody of the child, refused to open the front door and told police the five-year-old was not in the apartment.
Eventually, Thompson admitted the child was in the house and took police to the closet, where officers said they heard noises.
The suspect moved some boxes and revealed a board nailed into the wall. There was a small compartment with exposed insulation behind the circuit board, as photos show.
Photos from Tontitown Police show the small compartment with open insulation where the child was hidden
Bodycam footage showed Thompson moving boxes in the closet and a large board nailed to the wall blocking the child in the compartment
At the time of his arrest, Thompson was out on bail on unrelated charges out of Benton County.
“He was out on bail in connection with a methamphetamine charge in our neighboring town to the north,” Lindley said.
He was held in the Washington County Jail on Friday and released on Monday when he posted $5,000 bail.
Thompson’s next court date is scheduled for Dec. 4.