German police said today they rescued a 13-year-old girl and arrested an ex-convict accused of abducting and holding her captive for five weeks after they followed up a note pleading for help that the child apparently threw out of a window.

German prosecutors said that police had rescued a 13-year-old girl and detained a man accused of kidnapping and sexually abusing her after they followed up a written plea for help that the child apparently threw out the window.