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Kidnapping suspect held on $4M bond

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A 19-year old woman arrested in the abduction and sexual assault of a 5-year-old girl is being held on $4 million bail.

Christina Regusters allegedly kidnapped the victim from the Bryant Elementary School in West Philadelphia. She faces multiple charges, including criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, kidnapping, rape, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, contact with a minor, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, interference with the custody of a child, concealing the whereabouts of a child, indecent assault, simple assault, corruption of minors and recklessly endangering another person.

According to District Attorney Seth Williams, Regusters’ preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 6 at 1801 Vine St.

Regusters was one of four people questioned by police on Thursday, who live in a home five blocks from the school. The other three were released. Regusters worked at an after-school program attended by the victim.

The victim was abducted from her elementary school at 60th and Cedar Avenue by a woman dressed in Muslim garb who claimed to be her mother. She was found the next morning in an Upper Darby playground by a passerby.

Police have been spending a lot of time with the victim, retracing her steps on the day she was abducted. The victim told investigators that there was a talking bird in the home where she was kept during her abduction. This information helped lead police to the house on the 6200 block of Walton Avenue.

A multicolored macaw was taken from the property during the execution of a police search warrant Thursday night.

According to police, DNA on the shirt the victim was wearing when she was found linked Regusters to the crime.

Attorney Tom Kline, who represents the girl and her mother, could not be reached as of the Tribune’s deadline.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

Ayana Jones

Ayana Jones is a Business & Health Reporter for The Philadelphia Tribune.  Contact Ayana at ajones@phillytrib.com

1 comment

  • Janet

    May God bless this sweet child of God in her lifelong road to recovery and healing. What a strong angel. May Christina Regusters endure in prison what this child had to endure at her hands for hours. May she never feel safe again as this baby will never feel really safe again. School is a place of safety but our public schools have become the most unsafe places for our children. Christina Regusters committed a barbaric act against a child. She should never have her bail reduced. She should have never been given any bail. She should spend the rest of her life behind bars. And the only lenience she should receive is when she cooperates with the courts and gives up her accomplices. And for that cooperation her sentence instead of life should be forty years.

    Janet Thursday, 07 March 2013 19:57 Comment Link

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