Babysitter finds man hiding under bed after child reports monster in Kansas home

While checking for monsters under a child’s bed, a Kansas babysitter found a real intruder hiding, police say.

A Kansas babysitter made a disturbing discovery while checking under a child's bed after they claimed a "monster" was hiding, the Barton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Wednesday. Instead of reassuring the child, she came face-to-face with an intruder hiding beneath the bed.

The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. on Monday at a home just outside Great Bend. Deputies responded to a call reporting a disturbance at the residence. The babysitter told authorities that during a physical altercation with the suspect, both she and the child were knocked over, allowing the man to flee the scene.

The next day, deputies patrolling the area spotted the suspect and gave chase. After a short pursuit, they arrested 27-year-old Martin Villalobos Jr. He was booked into the Barton County Jail on charges including aggravated kidnapping and child endangerment, and is being held on a $500,000 bond.

According to the sheriff’s office, Villalobos previously lived on the property but was under a protection order prohibiting him from being there at the time of the incident.

Authorities credited the babysitter's quick actions with preventing a potentially more dangerous outcome. The investigation remains ongoing.