South Carolina

'Sorry excuse for a human being': Man who kidnapped, abused SC 4-year-old gets life

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A man will spend the rest of his life in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl after violently attacking the girl's mother in her South Carolina home.

Officials said federal Judge David Norton called 37-year-old Thomas Evans a "soulless, sorry excuse for a human being" as he ordered him to serve three life sentences for his February 2018 crimes.

[ALSO READ: Police: Man raped woman before kidnapping her daughter]

Authorities said Evans picked the girl's mother, Brittanee Todd, at random and followed her to her Charleston home after she dropped two of her other children off at school on Feb. 13. He then raped and beat Todd before kidnapping her daughter, Heidi, according to police.

Authorities said Evans drove Heidi to Alabama, where she escaped after a railroad crew spotted Evans asleep in his car.

Evans was arrested in Mississippi after a police chase.

[ALSO READ: Convicted kidnapper says he killed woman; no body found yet]

"Our family will be able to move forward...Heidi will be able to be happy in kindergarten and still take dance classes because of all of the impact this community has had on our family," said Todd.

Officials said state charges are still pending against Evans, but for now he's being held in a super-max federal prison in Colorado.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com: