Missing Chesapeake teen found safe, police search for man who was with her

On November 13, 2024By Pranco

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Fourteen-year-old Deborah “Abby” Jenkins, last seen with 41-year-old registered sex offender James Ronald Bell, was found safe Tuesday, Chesapeake police said. Police are still looking for Bell.

She had been missing for two days and, while Chesapeake police continued this investigation, was counting as a CODI Alert case – a case of a missing or endangered child – and not an Amber Alert of kidnapping. A process is now underway to cancel the CODI Alert.

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Her legal guardian, Christine Burton, told 10 On Your Side’s Andy Fox that the case worker told her Jenkins will be in the care of Portsmouth Social Services.

Jenkins disappeared from a Comfort Inn & Suites in Chesapeake around 1 a.m. Monday. Chesapeake police followed leads during the search.

Man last seen with missing Chesapeake teen is confirmed sex offender

Bell is a registered sex offender from a 2011 case in which he was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual battery. He is the former boyfriend of Jenkins’ legal guardian, Christine Burton, who 10 On Your Side has learned is working with police to solve the case.

Jenkins’ family had put up flyers around town to draw attention to her disappearance.

“We, the family, decided to put up flyers to walk around the community and just give it to them because there are a lot of people who haven’t had access to the news,” said Jenkins’ biological sister, Veronica Ferris. before Jenkins was found, “and they don’t know what’s going on, so the family decided to make a flyer to distribute so we can find her.”

Burton was at the hotel with Jenkins and Bell before her disappearance.

“When I got out of the shower, me and her got into an argument,” Burton said. “I went out to smoke cigarettes, and when I came back, she was gone, and I haven’t heard from her since. … I don’t think her life is in danger.”

“I don’t want to be on probation. I asked the judge to give me my time because I’m not going to do this (expletive)(expletive)(expletive).”

According to court documents, these are the words Bell said to his probation officer during a home check in August 2024. Bell was the last person seen with Jenkins, who the family calls “Abby.”

Bell is on probation for a domestic incident that occurred in 2018. Court documents show that in June of that year, Bell went to a Portsmouth home where his then-girlfriend and her relatives were.

While there, Bell “stood in the street and threatened to burn the house down and kill everyone in the house.” He was told to leave and he did, but as he walked away, “he shouted that he had a surprise for all of us and that he was coming back with a gun to kill us all.”

An hour later he came back. According to the document, Bell returned, stood at the end of the street and fired a gun into the air. Bell was arrested that day and released after a summons.

A month later, police responded again to a domestic incident involving his then-girlfriend. Bell and his girlfriend had been arguing in the driveway when her cousin told Bell that “his bond was going to be revoked because of the protective order she was given.” He then got into his car and crashed into another car. A relative of his girlfriend was trapped between the two cars. Bell then drove away before police arrived.

In August, two Portsmouth police officers spotted Bell driving near Brunswick Rd. When Bell saw the officers, he tried to run away. He struck one of the officer’s cars with his car before driving down Portsmouth Blvd toward Chesapeake. Bell led police on a chase through Chesapeake, Suffolk and Isle of Wight County before it ended near Smithfield. One of the officers was injured when his car was hit by Bell.

Bell previously had problems with his probation after a guilty plea in 2011 to two counts of aggravated sexual battery.

Bell took a plea deal and served a year behind bars for the charges before being placed on probation. The court documents detailing what happened are too graphic to include, but the victim told police that Bell told her that “he was going to get her one way or another.”

Part of his plea was that he must have no contact with the victim of his crime and must register as a sex offender. Bell was also required to participate in the sex offender awareness program known as SOAP.

He had to do the program twice because he failed the first time. Court documents from the treatment facility say: “Mr. Bell sought treatment and expressed frustration at having to go to the group. He denied committing his offending and repeatedly announced plans to appeal.”

Part of this program includes group therapy with other sex offenders. According to court documents, “class members expressed discomfort with Mr. Bell.” The group members said he was a “distraction” and “complained all the time.” Some members said they felt “uncomfortable sharing treatment information in the group” because of Bell.

In June 2015, a report from his probation officer for violation of probation reads: “Bell has told this officer several times that he wants to appear before his judge again and that he prefers to kill his time.”

One of the requirements for SOAP is keeping a daily diary, which Bell had to share with the group. When he started the program for the second time, he told the counselor who led the group and his probation office. Bell claimed he was told by a judge that he ‘does not have to write down his thoughts and feelings’ or anything related to his offending. Bell was then told that journaling was a requirement for the group.

Bell was dismissed from the program for the second time without passing the class.

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