Toledo, Ohio — Six individuals were arrested early Saturday morning on charges of kidnapping and assault after allegedly holding a young adult male captive and subjecting him to violent abuse for several days, according to Toledo police.
The accused — Aaron Bradshaw, 49, Austin Bradshaw, 23, Michael Esqueda, 28, Martina Jones, 28, David Cessna, 26, and Chance Johnston, 27 — are facing serious charges after the victim was reportedly held against his will for nearly a week. The incident began around March 14 and continued until March 21, when authorities intervened.
City officials in Maumee confirmed that the victim was assaulted at the Red Roof Inn located on South Reynolds Road. Authorities have stated that the victim, a young adult male, endured severe physical abuse during his captivity. He was allegedly beaten with a baseball bat, forced to stand for long periods, and denied adequate food, water, and sleep. Documents obtained by WTOL 11 revealed that the victim was only allowed to eat once a day, sleep for only 10 hours over the entire seven-day period, and was subjected to constant physical threats.
Toledo police are also investigating another location in Toledo as part of their ongoing inquiry, and Maumee police are assisting with the investigation.
Authorities have not disclosed a potential motive for the crime, and it remains unclear what led to the kidnapping. However, the victim was found with numerous injuries all over his body, signaling the extent of the assault.
The six defendants were arrested and booked into the Lucas County jail on March 22. They are scheduled to appear in court Monday morning, where they will face charges related to the alleged kidnapping and assault.
As the investigation continues, police are working to piece together further details surrounding the case, while the community remains shocked by the disturbing nature of the crime.