Travel map Skipworth.jpg

Police documents allege a Tyler man, who was arrested this weekend for kidnapping, sexually assaulted a 13-year-old Alabama girl he met online and traveled 10 hours to pick her up from her family’s home.

Daniel Dylan Skipworth, 19, was charged on Saturday with kidnapping, trafficking of a child — engaging in sexual conduct, aggravated sexual assault of a child and resisting arrest. He remains in the Smith County Jail on bonds totaling $560,000.

Tyler police, with a tip from the FBI, arrested Skipworth after locating the child at his residence in the 3600 block of Woods Boulevard around 5 p.m. Saturday. The girl was then returned to her family after her mother picked up.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the girl’s family reported her missing April 15 to their local police department. The FBI was called for assistance and investigators used the girl’s phone to begin tracking her location. Through the tracking, officers determined the girl left her residence around 5:30 a.m. April 15 and her phone was traveling with another phone number, which was later determined to be Skipworth’s number.

Later on Thursday, the girl’s phone stopped transmitting data. The FBI learned Skipworth’s number left his residence on the evening of April 14 and arrived near the girl’s residence at 5:30 a.m. April 15. Once the girl’s phone stopped transmitting information, the FBI tracked Skipworth’s number to Tyler near his residence before 4 a.m. April 16, according to the affidavit.

Assuming the girl could still be with the person who has Skipworth’s number, the FBI tracked the phone to the Woods Boulevard residence and that information was then relayed to the FBI’s Tyler office, the affidavit explained.

FBI agents and Tyler police officers went to the home Saturday to initially find no one there until Skipworth’s father arrived. His father told police that Skipworth traveled to Alabama and back within the last week, and he was adamant that a 13-year-old girl was not inside his home. The father also confirmed the phone number they tracked to Tyler was his son’s number, the affidavit stated.

Skipworth came out of his room after his father spoke with him. Police said Skipworth was uncooperative and upset his family let investigators in their home. Tyler Police Department Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh said Skipworth tried to bite an officer, but no one was injured.

According to the affidavit, Skipworth confirmed the girl was inside his bedroom. The girl came out of the room “visibly shaken.”

During an interview on Saturday, the girl said she met Skipworth online and they agreed to meet in person. The girl said while she was willing to go with Skipworth at first, about 30 minutes after leaving her residence, she asked him to take her back home but he refused. He also told her to dispose of her phone to avoid tracking, the affidavit stated.

The girl told investigators Skipworth tried to touch her inappropriately during the car ride, but she stopped him. Once they arrived at Skipworth’s residence, she stayed there until police arrived and she made several requests to go back to Alabama, but Skipworth denied the requests. She said Skipworth held her down and prevented her from notifying her parents, the affidavit read.

On Sunday, the girl spoke to police and accused Skipworth of several acts of aggravated sexual assault and indecency with a child while she was in his Tyler residence bedroom, according to the affidavit.

The girl said she once told Skipworth that she was too young for this type of activity, but she said Skipworth dismissed the notion, stating “it’s fine,” according to the affidavit.

Skipworth told police he knew the girl for a week through Instagram and Discord. He said they agreed he would pick her up in Alabama and take her to Tyler. He admitted to laying down with the girl to rest in the vehicle, but he denied any inappropriate interaction, the document stated.

Skipworth acknowledged that he kept the girl in his room and he took steps to give her food and entertainment. He said the girl told him he was homesick several times, and he made promises to take her home on Saturday or Sunday, the affidavit read.

According to police documents, Daniel Skipworth and a 13-year-old Alabama girl met online and he spoke with her about him taking her to Tyler.

Skipworth allegedly drove 10 hours from Tyler to Alabama on the evening of April 14 and arrived at the 13-year-old girl’s residence at 5:30 a.m. April 15 based on FBI phone tracking.

The FBI then located Skipworth’s phone to his residence in the 3600 block of Woods Boulevard at 4 a.m. A tip about his location was shared to the FBI’s Tyler office.

Tyler police officers and FBI agents went to Skipworth’s residence, where police say he was uncooperative and tried to bite an officer. Police say the girl was found inside his bedroom.

Police documents state the girl came out of the room “visibly shaken.” She accused Skipworth of sexually assaulting her while she was inside his bedroom.

Once police found her Saturday, the girl’s mom drove from Alabama to pick her up.