A son of the man police have arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a 9-year-old New York girl voiced contempt for his father after Craig Ross Jr. was arrested.
“He’s in jail. We want nothing to do with him,” Joshua Ross said to a reporter who asked questions from outside of Ross’s rural New York home, according to TMZ
“I could give a f*** if the dude dropped dead tomorrow,” he said. “I could give a f*** if anything … I could care less,” he said.
Joshua Ross further denounced his father, saying, “He’s disgusting. He’s gross.”
“He should die. I could care less. That’s how I feel, all right?” he said.
According to the Daily Mail, Craig Ross Jr., 46, was suffering from multiple sclerosis and had recently moved into the camper trailer where the girl was found.
The Mail report said Ross, who is 6’4” and 275 pounds, was having difficulty getting around the property he owns in Porters Corner, New York.
The Mail said neighbors called him a “recluse” and said he stayed at his Porters Corners home about three days a week along with his 11-year-old daughter.
New York State Police Lt. Col. Richard Allen said Ross’s mother has been interviewed in connection with the kidnapping, according to NewsNation.
“The mother was in the house, which is directly in front of the camper, which is in the backyard,” Allen said.
“We are working with her and interviewing her and as far as charges on her, it’s, it’s too early to say what may or may not happen there. We’re still trying to determine what she did know and didn’t know at the time,” he said.
His summary of Ross was that Ross “is a guy that had a rough life and a lot of issues in his life. I think we’re going to find this was probably a crime of opportunity.”
He said the motive for taking the girl is not yet known. A ransom demand for $50,000 was made early on Monday, with a fingerprint on the note leading police to Ross.
“We may never fully know that reason, unless he tells us,” he said.
The 9-year-old had been kidnapped on Saturday evening and was freed Monday at about 6:30 p.m. Eastern time.
“I do believe as time went on, the chances of her being seriously injured … or possibly killed by this individual would have gone up dramatically. Fortunately, we were able to get her within 48 hours of her going missing. You know, who knows what could happen, the longer he had her,” Allen said.
Ross had been on the radar of law enforcement before. On Tuesday, officials said a recent State Police investigation examined allegations that Ross sexually abused a female family acquaintance who was 12 at the time, according to the Albany Times-Union.
No charges were filed.
