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Florida sex offender accused of kidnapping 11-year-old boy
A 60-year-old convicted sex offender has been arrested and charged with kidnapping an 11-year-old boy and holding him against his will for several days, authorities in northeast Florida said.
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - A 15-year-old Hastings boy has been charged as an adult in connection with an investigation into the alleged kidnapping of a missing juvenile involving a registered sex offender, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
The teen suspect was arrested Dec. 31, 2025, after deputies stopped a vehicle driven by registered sex offender Darnel Hairston, 60, who authorities said was traveling through Flagler County with two juveniles. During the stop, Hairston was taken into custody, and Bishop allegedly fled by stealing Hairston’s vehicle.
The teen's possible role as a co-conspirator in the kidnapping remains under investigation.
"This kid was already on probation for a violent offense when he committed these new felony crimes," Sheriff Rick Staly said, supporting the decision to charge Bishop as an adult.
Bishop faces first-degree felony charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and fleeing and eluding at a reckless speed, along with grand theft of a motor vehicle. He is also charged with three misdemeanors, including resisting an officer without violence.
He was transferred to the Volusia County Branch Jail following his first court appearance and is being held on $133,000 bond.
The backstory: A missing child was located in a traffic stop that escalated into a vehicle pursuit and crash across western Flagler County, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies stopped a white Ford F-150 on U.S. Highway 1 near Whiteview Drive on Wednesday morning after a caller reported suspicious activity. The driver of the Ford F-150, identified as Darnell Hairston, 60, of Hastings, was with two passengers who are minors.
During the stop, deputies determined one of the kids had been reported missing in St. Johns County and secured the child in a patrol vehicle. Investigators said Hairston then fled on foot and struggled with deputies, attempting to grab a deputy’s firearm before being caught and handcuffed.
He was arrested on charges including resisting an officer with violence and attempting to deprive an officer of a firearm. While Hairston was being arrested, one of the passengers — a 15-year-old boy — got back into the truck and fled, nearly striking a deputy.
Deputies pursued the vehicle along U.S. 1 and State Road 100. Near the Putnam County line, authorities said the teenager entered oncoming traffic and intentionally struck a deputy’s patrol car, causing both vehicles to crash into a wooded area and the truck to roll over.
The teen was nabbed after exiting the truck. The teen, which FOX 35 is not naming because he is a minor, was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, driving without a license and resisting an officer without violence.
Hairston is being held without bond pending his first appearance. The teen was evaluated by medical personnel and was not injured. He has been turned over to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
Two deputies suffered minor injuries and were treated and released from AdventHealth Palm Coast. A second deputy’s patrol car also struck an automotive repair building in Bunnell during the incident.
Authorities said Hairston is a registered sexual offender with a prior prison sentence and an extensive arrest history. The investigation remains ongoing, including the relationship between Hairston, the 15-year-old boy, and the recovered child.
The Source: This story was written based on information provided by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.