Connecticut girl's family denies abuse allegations

Story Highlights

• Abuse allegations "a total fabrication," says family attorney
• Defense attorney: Client protected girl from sexual, physical assault
• Girl, missing a year, was found locked under staircase
• Girl, described as a runaway, is OK; being evaluated by professionals

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(CNN) -- An attorney for the family of a teenage girl who was found locked in a room in a Connecticut house Friday denied allegations that she was seeking protection from abuse at home.

Nearly a year after Danielle Erica Cramer went missing, police found the 15-year-old girl Wednesday when officers served search warrants on a house in West Hartford, Connecticut. Three residents of the house have been charged in the case.

Danielle was found in "physically OK" condition, police said, but defense attorney Michael Georgetti alleged Thursday that his client was "trying to protect a young girl from being sexually assaulted and physically assaulted." (Watch police describe the room where police found the missing teenage girl )

Georgetti refused to identify who Danielle was being protected from, saying it was "individuals in the home where she originally resided."

Marc Needelman, an attorney for Danielle's mother and stepfather, Jennifer and Jamie Hesse, on Friday called the allegations "a total fabrication."

"The Bloomfield Police Department ... publicly stated yesterday in no uncertain terms that Jennifer and Jamie have committed no crimes or engaged in any kind of impropriety," Needelman said. "It's a lot of hogwash, that's what it is."

Police and Needelman have hinted that a resident of the house and a suspect in the case, Adam Gault, 41, influenced Danielle to run away from home. Police have said Gault, who once worked with Jennifer Hesse, has a history of entering into inappropriate relationships with teenage girls.

Police are holding all three defendants after a judge set a $1 million bond Thursday for Gault, and $750,000 each for Ann Murphy, 40, and Kimberly Cray, 26.

They face charges including unlawful restraint, reckless endangerment, custodial interference and risk of injury to a minor.

Mom: 'I am so relieved'

Hesse told CNN on Friday that she was "ecstatic" about Danielle's recovery.

"I never thought that I would see her alive," said Hesse. "I am so relieved that she is and that she's in good hands right now and I'm very happy to have my daughter back."

On Friday, Danielle remained in custody of child welfare officials, who were in the process, along with psychiatrists, of deciding how best to reintroduce her to her family.

Police, mindful of her mental health, are limiting questions to Danielle, although she has been talking to investigators, according to Bloomfield Police Lt. Matthew Willauer.

Needelman said Danielle appears to be happy and is looking forward to being reunited with her family.

"She's been through a terrible ordeal, and the professionals want to do whatever they can, first, to try to understand what she's been through," he said. "Once they have a handle on it, they can begin to provide her with the support and treatment to reintegrate, come back to a real family situation."

Police said that Gault had filed a complaint with police more than a year ago which said that a family friend may have abused the girl, but authorities found no evidence.

There was no indication Danielle was attending school during the time she was missing, police said.

Police have said Danielle had had a "tough" life involving drugs and had a history of running away from home.

"What a 14-year-old says is voluntary may not be voluntary," said Bloomfield Police Capt. Jeffrey Blatter on Thursday. "This was not an abduction situation. She did, in fact, run away. Mr. Gault had had quite a bit of time to influence her."

Danielle is not believed to have been kept in the house for the entire year, Blatter said. Gault is believed to have taken her out of state on at least one occasion, he said, adding that the FBI will be looking into those trips.

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