Alexandria Teen Allegedly Held for 29 Days and Raped, Tied Up

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A teenager held captive for 29 days before she escaped and swam in a lake to safety had been repeatedly raped, locked in a closet, bound by zip ties and shoved into a duffel bag during the ordeal.

Charges filed Thursday allege 32-year-old Thomas Barker kidnapped the 15-year-old Aug. 8 by tricking her into thinking he needed help. The girl, who escaped Tuesday, knew Barker as her friend's dad.

Prosecutors say Barker drove her to a home in rural western Minnesota and sexually assaulted her at gunpoint. Twenty-year-old Steven Powers and 31-year-old Joshua Holby also face charges.

A message left with an attorney for Barker and Holby wasn't returned. The name of Powers' attorney wasn't available.

The Associated Press typically does not name sexual assault victims.