LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A Lafayette man faces charges after a missing 9-year-old girl was found in his basement.
The girl’s mother reported her missing on April 21. She was found later that day in the basement of a home owned by James Chadwell.
The girl told police Chadwell choked her, hit her, and forced her into his basement, where he sexually assaulted her.
Chadwell was arrested and taken to the Tippecanoe County Jail.
On Monday, Chadwell was charged with the following:
- Attempted murder
- Attempted child molestation
- Battery resulting in serious bodily injury
- Being a habitual offender
- Child molestation
- Criminal confinement resulting in serious bodily injury
- Kidnapping
- Strangulation
