WATCH: Video Shows Woman in Handcuffs Ringing Doorbell in Montgomery County, Texas

woman handcuffs montgomery county texas video

Montgomery County Sheriff/Facebook A homeowner's security camera in Montgomery County, Texas, recorded the moment a woman with handcuffs dangling from her wrist rang the doorbell in the middle of the night.

A terrifying viral video a woman with what appear to be handcuffs dangling from her wrist with one cuff on her arm ringing the doorbell at a home in Montgomery County, Texas, in the middle of the night, sparking fears about her safety. The video was released by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office on August 26 in an effort to identify the woman and make sure she is OK. The woman disappeared before the homeowner could answer the door, according to police.

On Wednesday, August 29, police said they identified the woman and she is safe. The sheriff’s office said on Facebook that they are not releasing her name because she is a “family violence victim.” On August 29, deputies responded to a home near where the video was recorded for a welfare check. They found a 49-year-old man dead inside the home of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wounded, the sheriff’s office said. He has not been publicly identified.

“The deceased’s girlfriend, a 32 year old white female, who was not on scene when deputies arrived, is confirmed to be the female in the doorbell ring video,” the sheriff’s office said. “The female is confirmed to be safe and with family. The investigation will continue. The female that we have all been looking for has been identified and is safe. She is currently outside Montgomery County and our investigators will be meeting with her to continue the investigation.”

Police said the woman is from Dallas County, Texas, and had been living in Montgomery County. Police said she was not a missing person.

In the video, the woman appears to be barefoot and wearing only a T-shirt. The handcuffs or another type of shackles appear to be hanging from her right wrist as she frantically runs up to the door and rings the bell before leaving. Another pair of handcuffs or shackle is possibly on her other wrist. The woman’s panicked and scared gaze meets the surveillance video camera’s lens before she leaves.

The homeowner’s Ring doorbell camera recorded the incident. You can watch the video here:

In a press release, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said the incident occurred August 24 about 3:20 a.m. in the Sunrise Ranch Subdivision of Montgomery. The homeowner was “awaken by their doorbell,” police said. “After reviewing their home video surveillance they observed the attached video and images. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was alerted and is currently investigating the suspicious incident.”

An area resident, who did not want to be identified, told KPRC-TV the woman also rang the doorball at her home. “We were dead asleep in our beds. My husband was woken up by doorbell ring. It rang probably 20 to 30 times. He walked outside no one was in sight. It’s like she disappeared in thin air,” she told the news station. The woman said she went to her neighborhood’s Facebook page and saw photos from the surveillance camera, which had been posted by the resident of the home across the street from her. “Sure enough, there is a picture posted from a neighbor across the street,” she told the news station. “It was kind of scary because this girl looked like she was just in a shirt. She looked like she had wrist restraints on her wrist and she was barefoot. You can see her with a worry on her face looking around.”

montgomery texas woman doorbell

A screenshot from the video.

Another unnamed neighbor told ABC News the woman had rung the doorbell or knocked on doors of several other homes in the neighborhood, but she had disappeared from the doorstep every time when the door was opened. Another area resident, Branson Golson, told KTRK-TV, “I’ve got a 9-year-old daughter at home. It worries me what’s going on in the neighborhood.”

Jennie Drude, the homeowner who initially shared the video, wrote on Facebook, “This girl rang the door bell of several neighbors in Sunrise Ranch, montgomery, tx on 8/24/18 around 3am. She looked to be coming from the back of the neighborhood wearing only a T-shirt, no shoes, and has what appears to be broken restraints on both wrists. The video also shows she was hiding from someone and being very quiet. When neighbors got to (their) doors, she was gone. This girl belongs to someone. She has people. Family. Someone must be missing her. Please call our local police with any tips!” Drude’s Facebook post has been viewed nearly 2 million times since she posted it on August 25.

When asked what people should do if a situation like this occurs, Spencer told KPRC-TV, “Answer the door but call from the other side of the door don’t actually open the door. Unfortunately, times have changed from yesterday so you have to be very careful we have had a lot of home invasions.” If someone is asking for help, call 911, Spencer said.