A man in Nebraska has been charged after allegedly kidnapping a family of five. After noticing the family in need, he offered help, but clearly had other intentions. The man, Carl Thomas, allegedly has a history of this kind of behavior. But this could be the end of him terrorizing unsuspecting people.
As for the family, they were saved by their quick thinking. Almost immedietely, they realized that something was off, and they were able to save themselves.
Thomas, who lives in Morrill, Nebraska, came upon his victims in Big Springs on February 28, 2025, according to a news release from the Garden County Sheriff’s Office. The victims included two women and three children. Earlier that day, they had been told by deputies that they needed proper safety seats for the children and were “seeking assistance” when Thomas found them.
KNEB reported that the women were at a Flying J Truck Stop, and trying to get to Walmart to buy car seats. That’s when Thomas spotted them, stepping in to play good Samaritan. According to the report, after about 30 minutes in Thomas’ car, the women noticed they weren’t heading to Walmart. He allegedly told the victims he was taking them to his house for “illicit purposes.”
The women said Thomas showed them pornography on his phone during the car ride. He also allegedly burned one of the women with a cigarette, and “continuously yelled” at them. The man was reportedly driving up to 90 miles per hour, causing the women to roll down the windows and scream for help.
According to the sheriff’s office, they began calling 911 from their phones. Eventually, a deputy spotted Thomas’ car, and pulled him over. He claimed the women were “out of control,” and he was “going to deport them.” On the other hand, the women told deputies they believed Thomas was going to kill them.
Carl Thomas faces charges of kidnapping, first-degree false imprisonment, intentional child abuse, and second-degree assault.
Currently, Thomas’ bail is set at $5 million. Officials added that “authorities have uncovered a concerning multi-state criminal history linked to Thomas.” The investigation is ongoing.
