A school bus driver has been apprehended following allegations of kidnapping and sexually abusing a young girl for over a decade.

Carlos Humberto Grisales Higuita is charged with using his position to abduct the seven-year-old in 2012, subsequently hiding her in various properties across Medellin and Bello, Colombia.

Kidnapping can last years, with victims being held for years at a time, like Elisabeth Fritzl, who was kept as a sex slave for years, and is one of the most gruesome kidnappings.

State prosecutors allege that Grisales Higuita “manipulated her psychologically and sexually abused her, making her think this behaviour was normal.”

Throughout her years in captivity, the girl’s family was unable to find her, and she did not attend school.

It wasn’t until she reached 16 that she reportedly confronted Grisales Higuita and managed to escape from him earlier this year.

The alleged predator was arrested in Medellin this week, facing charges including child rape and producing child pornography. He denied all allegations when he appeared in court.

The prosecutor’s office issued a statement saying: “The man, who worked as a school bus driver, allegedly detained a 7-year-old girl in early 2012 and took her to a house in the city centre.

“He allegedly psychologically manipulated and sexually assaulted her, making her believe that such behaviour was normal.

“During the course of the investigation, it was established that the victim’s name was changed, she was transferred to different buildings in Medellin and Bello (Antioquia), she was taken out of school and unable to communicate with people.

“When she turned 16, she complained to the alleged aggressor about the treatment she received, and in retaliation, she was allegedly locked up in a house, from which she managed to escape in February of this year.”

The National Police arrested Grisales Higuita in Medellin.

During the preliminary hearings, he did not accept the charges brought by the Prosecutor’s Office.”

Reports of child sex abuse in Medellin and the wider Antioquia region, sometimes involving foreign nationals, have sent shockwaves across Colombia.

From January to August of this year alone, there have been 1,176 reported cases of alleged sexual offenses against minors.