GARYSBURG – Several children were located safe and sound here Saturday after a Garysburg man left with them in a vehicle owned by the mother.

Ricky Maurice Barber, 41, was charged with assault on a female and he was not given a bond at the time of the arrest. He is scheduled to answer that charge in Northampton County District Court on Oct. 23.

According to Northampton County Sheriff’s Captain Chuck Hasty, Deputy Michael Sledge responded to Endie Scott Trail in Garysburg shortly before 11 p.m. on Oct. 11 to investigate an alleged assault.

Upon arrival, Sledge spoke with the victim who told him that she was at a party with Barber 41 when there was an argument about leaving the party.  The victim claimed she was assaulted by Barber, who then took off with her car and children.

The victim was transported to HalifaxRegionalMedicalCenter by Northampton EMS for the treatment of her injuries.

Hasty went to the hospital to speak with the victim about the incident. There he gained enough information to obtain warrants on Barber for assault on a female. Meanwhile, information was sent out to law enforcement agencies in Northampton and Halifax counties in an effort to find Barber and the children.

Sledge located the victim’s car behind a residence on Monroe Street in Garysburg. There, Sledge spoke with a man at the residence about trying to locate the children and check on their welfare, but that individual was uncooperative and refused to help. However, when that man was attempting to re-enter the residence, someone inside had locked the door.

That prompted Hasty to apply for and was granted a search warrant for the residence. When that warrant was executed, officers located Barber and arrested him without incident.  Law enforcement also found the children asleep and safe inside.

Gaston Police Department Officers Tommy Staton and Marcel Goffington along with Garysburg Police Department Officer Wallace Ransome assisted in the case.

“I know people like to have a good time, but when alcohol is involved it sometimes make people act in crazy ways. If you drink I encourage you to use common sense and be responsible for your conduct in the public and around children,” stated Northampton Sheriff Jack Smith.