Suspect charged with kidnapping, molesting girl

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By Michelle Paynter - bio | email

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - A nightmare came to life for one, young Wilmington Island girl.

Savannah-Chatham police investigators say a man from Claxton who may have ties to Wilmington Island, took a 10-year-old girl from her home earlier this week.

Investigators say 20-year-old Steven Osterman snuck into the girl's home off Concord Road, abducted her, put her in the trunk of his car, drove to a nearby school, sexually assaulted her and then took her back home.

"It is scary, very alarming," said Mattie Faircloth, a long-time island resident.

"I think it is sick, really sick," added Heather Eyler.

Folks who live on Wilmington Island say nothing like that ever happens there. "It makes you rethink the security of your own home," said Eyler.

The only comfort many islanders have is knowing police made an arrest.

Prosecutors say it was an alert neighbor who noticed someone suspicious and wrote down Osterman's tag number. That neighbor called police and police arrested Osterman on the spot.

In court Friday, Judge Claire Cornwell-Williams denied bond for Osterman. While he is off the street, this case clearly is on a lot of minds.

"Are we safe anywhere?" asked Faircloth. "On Wilmington Island, we hear of other areas of the city and maybe we do feel somewhat sheltered on Wilmington Island, but it shows you those crimes can happen anywhere."

In court, Osterman asked the judge if she would take him out of the jail's general population and move him into the protective custody unit. She agreed, but only until his next hearing on December 29.