A 37-year-old Virginia man has been arrested and charged after police say he groomed a young girl online, lured her away from her home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and then held her captive for close to four years — all while continuing to live his normal daily life.
Owen Anderson, of Montgomery County, Virginia, was taken into custody on May 26, 2026, after the victim herself called 911 during what was described as a “domestic dispute.” During that call, she told police that Anderson had been holding her hostage inside his home for the past four years.
The Online Grooming Began When She Was 12
Investigators determined that Anderson did not begin his predatory behavior when the girl disappeared — it started years earlier. The two had met online, and Anderson had been communicating with her since she was just 12 years old, three years before she went missing.
During those early online conversations, the girl opened up about difficulties she was experiencing at home, telling Anderson she was being abused. Anderson allegedly exploited that vulnerability, encouraging her to come live with him in Virginia. He reportedly promised her that he would “never hit her” and “never scream at her,” and told her he wanted to “cuddle” when he picked her up and when she came to live with him.
She Disappeared at Age 15
The girl was officially reported missing on June 23, 2022, when she was 15 years old. Her mother contacted Milwaukee police that day, telling them her daughter had left their home that morning and simply never came back.
An investigation into the girl’s online activity revealed that on the day she vanished, she deliberately logged out of both her Facebook account and her iPhone — a move that prevented her mother from being able to track her location.
Anderson had reportedly instructed her to obtain a burner phone prior to leaving. He then arranged a rideshare to transport her to a movie theater in Chicago, Illinois, where the two met in person for the first time. Upon meeting, Anderson allegedly had her perform a factory reset on her iPhone, wiping all data from it. He then threw both phones into a trash can. The two subsequently left Chicago together and traveled out of state to Virginia.
Four Years of Abuse and Captivity
Once she was in Anderson’s custody, the abuse began almost immediately. The girl told police that Anderson sexually assaulted her inside the rental car they used to leave Chicago. From that point forward, the abuse continued without pause for nearly four years.
During her captivity, Anderson allegedly:
- Repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted her
- Beat her with a whip
- Refused to allow her to attend school
- Forced her to watch pornography
The psychological toll was evident in how the girl described her situation to investigators. She told police that Anderson had conditioned her to internalize the blame for the violence inflicted upon her, saying, “It’s always my fault if he hits me” — a stark contrast to the promises he had made to win her trust years earlier.
Anderson Denies the Assault
When law enforcement questioned Anderson following his arrest, he denied sexually assaulting the girl in the rental car as she had described. His explanation to investigators was that he “was sleeping and did not know what he was doing.”
Charges and Status
Owen Anderson now faces three charges: kidnapping, child enticement, and child abduction. He remains behind bars at the Western Virginia Regional Jail, held without bail. Authorities expect him to be extradited to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the charges were filed, though no court date has been scheduled as of this report.
