Crime & Courts

Orangeburg woman reported kidnapped is found safe, police say

Police have said that a woman who was reportedly kidnapped from in front of a fast food restaurant in Orangeburg has been found safe.

Darlene Baker, 31, was forced “against her will” into a 2006-2016 white Chevrolet Impala around 1 a.m. Friday morning at a Dodge’s fried chicken restaurant at 1801 Old Edisto Drive in Orangeburg, South Carolina, according to the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety.

Baker is described as 5”7 and 135 pounds. She has brown hair and a tattoo of an arrow above the word “Turtle” on her neck. She is also known as Darlene Locklear, according to investigators.

Darlene Baker was reportedly kidnapped in Orangeburg at 1 a.m. on July 28, 2023.
Darlene Baker was reportedly kidnapped in Orangeburg at 1 a.m. on July 28, 2023. Orangeburg Department of Public Safety

Law enforcement described the vehicle as having a factory spoiler and either Virginia or North Carolina tags. The vehicles tags may be temporary, according to a statement released by the department of public safety.

Officers have said that they were searching for a suspect named “Chris,” who was described as a 29-30 year old white male who is 5”9 and between 135 and 140 pounds. He is described as having “thinning hair and a cross tattoo on his right wrist,” according to police. He may have family in the Glover Street area, police say.

No additional information has been released about the incident.

This is a breaking news story. Check back here for updates.

This story was originally published July 28, 2023 at 1:38 PM.

Ted Clifford
The State
Ted Clifford is the statewide accountability reporter at The State Newspaper. Formerly the crime and courts reporter, he has covered the Murdaugh saga, state and federal court, as well as criminal justice and public safety in the Midlands and across South Carolina. He is the recipient of the 2023 award for best beat reporting by the South Carolina Press Association.
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