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App, alligator leads to rape suspect's arrest, investigators say

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  September 12, 2022 5:24pm EDT
Coweta County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Alligator sign and app help girl be rescued from man she says raped her in Coweta County

Thanks to a sign warning for alligators and a distress-signaling app, a young teen was able to be rescued from a man she says raped her in Coweta County.

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - Coweta County authorities say an app and an alligator help deputies find a rape suspect and free the young woman from her abductor.

A 17-year-old Harris County girl thought the man she met online was driving her to see her boyfriend in Pennsylvania, but investigators say Dalton Ramsey held a knife to her and detoured to B.T. Brown Reservoir Park. There, they say, he sexually assaulted her.

"Somewhere along there, their ride to Pennsylvania, they pulled off in Coweta County, and he rapes her at knife point, and we were able to confirm the incident happened inside Coweta County," said Coweta County Sheriff’s Investigator Toby Nix.

Coweta County deputies say surveillance images show the vehicle of a rape suspect.

Coweta County deputies say surveillance images show the vehicle of a rape suspect.  (Coweta County Sheriff's Office)

Investigators say surveillance video shows Ramsey’s car pulling up outside the park.

For whatever reason, investigators say Ramsey allowed the girl access to her smartphone, which would prove unlucky for him.

A sign outside of B.T. Brown Reservoir Park warns about alligators.

A sign outside of B.T. Brown Reservoir Park warns about alligators. (FOX 5)

Investigators say the teen used her smartphone to share her location with her boyfriend in Pennsylvania. A quick internet search of the name of the park, investigators say the boyfriend discovered an online image of an alligator warning for boaters at the reservoir. Investigators say she had seen the sign outside the closed park and confirmed her location.

Then while back on the highway, and using an app called Noonlight, her distress call was sent to that company, which began to track her phone and alert authorities. She was able to send the word rape and a description of his car.

Dalton Ramsey is being charged with with rape, kidnapping, aggravated assault with a weapon, and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime.

Dalton Ramsey is being charged with with rape, kidnapping, aggravated assault with a weapon, and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime. (Coweta County Sheriff's Office)

In Habersham County, police pulled over Ramsey’s car, rescued the teenager and arrested him.

The alligator warning sign gave authorities in Coweta County the confirmation they needed to file charges against Ramsey for the teen’s abduction and assault.

"The Coweta County Sheriff’s Office will be charging him with rape, kidnapping, aggravated assault with a weapon, and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime.

Ramsey is facing kidnapping charges in Habersham County as well. He’s expected to be extradited to Coweta County to face the charges there.