NEED TO KNOW
- A New York man allegedly kidnapped an 11-year-old girl he met online, with authorities later finding the child undressed in his bed, prosecutors said
- Nicholas Wieber, 28, of Bay Shore, pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child on Friday, Jan. 9
- Prosecutors alleged Wieber began communicating with the child on Discord, a free communication application commonly used by children for playing games
Prosecutors allege a New York man kidnapped an 11-year-old girl he met online — and they say that police found the child undressed in the suspect’s bed.
Nicholas Wieber, 28, of Bay Shore, was arraigned Friday, Jan. 9, on charges including first-degree felony kidnapping, second-degree felony kidnapping and a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release.
Court records show Wieber has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
PEOPLE reached out to his defense attorney, who declined to comment on the allegations at this time.
Prosecutors said Wieber allegedly began communicating with the 11-year-old child on Discord, a free communication application commonly used by children for playing games, in December 2025. “His messages allegedly quickly became sexual in nature,” the release states.
On Dec. 12, 2025, the child’s mother realized her daughter was not on the bus as expected when she went to pick her up from a Queens bus stop at the end of the school day. After calling friends inquiring about her daughter’s location, the mother was told the girl left with an older man, per the release.
She then called New York State Police, and officers began a search for the woman’s daughter with help from the Suffolk County Police Department after the investigation led authorities to Wieber’s address in Bay Shore on Dec. 13, 2025, prosecutors said.
Suffolk police responded to Wieber’s home, where the child was allegedly found in “a state of undress in Wieber’s bed,” the release states. Wieber was arrested at the scene, and the child was reunited with her family, they added.
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According to the indictment obtained by PEOPLE, prosecutors allege that Wieber abducted the girl and “restrained her for more than twelve hours with the intent to sexually abuse her.”
District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney thanked investigating authorities for their “vigilance, skill, and determination,” which “ensured the child was found safely and returned to her parents without delay,” per the release.
A judge ordered Wieber held on $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond as the case is pending, per the release. His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 17 and prosecutors said he faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted on the top count.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
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