Ballard says Hopper led him through the residence, where he observed a stairway leading to the basement. Sgt. Ballard says he asked about the stairway, and that Hopper said there wasn't anything down there, before leading law enforcement down the stairs.
Sgt. Ballard says in the basement, he observed a 3-foot by 3-foot piece of plywood secured by two shiny rotating lock-type pieces of hardware, which appeared to be blocking a small enclosed space in the basement. Ballard says Hopper told him that behind the plywood was "an area that was just full of spiders."
Ballard says after unlatching the door fastening, Hopper admitted that Potts was hiding inside the area.
Sgt. Ballard says behind the wooden barrier was a small concrete room similar to a coal cellar, that had no lighting and was damp.
"After being ordered to show herself, Hannah Potts then uncovered herself from the back corner of the area. Hannah Potts was wearing a fully functioning handcuff on her right wrist, and also had fully functioning shackles binding her ankles. At this time Hannah Potts stated that she was not being held against her will and wanted to remain in the location that she was," the affidavit says.
In the affidavit, Sgt. Ballard says that after some conversation, Potts willingly removed herself from the small room in the basement, at which point she was taken to the sheriff's office for an interview.
"During the interview, Hannah Potts advised that she had been planning a kidnapping event with Maria Hopper for at least a week prior to Hannah Pott's disappearance," the affidavit reads.
Ballard's affidavit says Potts said she wanted to have this experience for "research purposes in a manuscript that she was writing," and that Hopper and Thomas were characters in her story.
According to Ballard, Potts also said that she had been rehearsing the post she made to Facebook for a week, that Hopper and Thomas set up and arranged the room she was staying in, and that Hopper had picked her up and taken Potts to her residence. Ballard said Potts also stated that she placed the shackles on herself and that she had been provided food and drink by Hopper.
Affidavit Reveals Details of Hannah Potts 'Abduction Hoax' Investigation
