Cop Hears Woman Quietly Whisper 'Help Me,' Discovers Rape Suspect Hiding In Closet

Feb 18, 2019 by apost team

Cpl. Brandon Putnam, a peace officer in Gastonia, NC, intended to deliver a subpoena to a woman's home. The routine task took an unexpected and dangerous twist. The woman at the residence made a whispered plea for help. Cpl. Putnam didn't ignore her nearly silent call for help, which led to Putnam arresting an alleged rapist hiding in the home.

To some, the events that transpired in Gastonia seem like something out of a motion picture. Police work is commonly mundane.

Peace officers perform many dull duties such as serving a subpoena. As this frightening story reveals, dangers lurk everywhere.

Both police officers and innocent civilians often find themselves in harrowing situations. Mercifully, this event saw an officer save someone from a terrible situation.

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The officer went to serve the subpoena. He knocked several times, but no one answered. Just as he was about to leave, a woman answered the door. She whispered the words "Help me."

Putnam noticed she displayed signs common with strangulation. The subpoena he served connected to a domestic violence case. Putnam asked the woman if the man referenced on the subpoena harmed her.

She made an indication with her head to direct the officer's attention to the inside of the house. Putnam assumed the man was in the home and called for backup.

When additional officers arrived at the residence, they searched the home. They discovered a man hiding in a closet. Soon after, was taken into custody. The woman's three children were also in the house.

The victim was both strangled and sexually assaulted. Sadly, the woman had a restraining order against the suspect, but he ignored the court's orders.

Officer Putnam is nearing 20 years on the force. He noted that never before was he involved in a situation like this one. Incredibly, he appeared at the house during the victim's time of need.

He said, "When you are in a position where a victim needs help -- and luckily she told me that she needed help -- because anything could have happened."

The tale is a sad one, but does show the police are there to help when they can. Let others learn about this story so they may realize someone may come to help even during a terrible situation.