HOUSTON, TX – A Houston resident, Lee Carter, 52, stands accused of a chilling crime: the alleged kidnapping and subsequent confinement of a woman in his garage for nearly half a decade.
Carter was formally charged with aggravated kidnapping in April 2023, but it wasn’t until this past Thursday that he was apprehended for the alleged offense. The victim’s account, as revealed in court documents, paints a harrowing picture of her ordeal.
The woman, who was pregnant at the time, was panhandling on Almeda Genoa when Carter first approached her. After initially offering her a single dollar, he returned to offer assistance. Feeling vulnerable and in desperate need of help, the woman accepted his offer and got into his car. Carter then allegedly drove her to his Perry Street residence in southeast Houston and confined her in his garage for years.
The victim’s account further details the conditions of her captivity. She alleges that Carter provided her with only chips and snacks for sustenance and forced her into sexual activity and drug use. Despite her daily pleas for release, Carter reportedly responded with threats of violence. On the occasions she attempted escape, Carter would allegedly recapture her and return her to the garage.
Court documents also reveal that the woman occasionally had access to Carter’s laptop, which she used to send messages to the police via a texting app, indicating her forced confinement. Despite police and firefighters responding to the residence at least once and transporting the woman to a hospital, Carter managed to retrieve her and return her to his home.
The woman was able to contact the police again on April 7, 2023, leading to her rescue. Upon arrival at the residence, police noted the squalid conditions of the garage, including a non-functioning makeshift toilet, a vomit-stained mattress, a box of assorted chips, and a shelf with a few folded shirts and several diapers. The woman has since expressed her intent to press charges against Carter and has requested a protection order.
Carter, after appearing before a judge, was granted a $100,000 bond. He is scheduled to return to court this coming Monday.