A woman being held captive since May was rescued after leaving notes asking for help in public restrooms

• A woman was held captive for months in Pennsylvania by an ex-partner, according to local reports.
• "If I don't make it tell my family I love them," one of the notes said, according to ABC News.
• Authorities were able to rescue her on Sunday.

A woman who was held captive for months by an ex-partner was rescued this week after she left notes in two different public restrooms that helped lead police to her location.

Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania woman was able to scrawl a plea for help on a scrap of paper in a Walmart bathroom when her captor took her there briefly. Days later, she left another secret message at a museum.

"If I don't make it tell my family I love them," one of the notes said, according to ABC News.

The notes also listed the address of where she was being held and implored the reader to call 911, warning that her captor had a knife, WPXI News reported.

Authorities were able to locate the unnamed woman on Sunday night, where they arrested Corey Brewer, 38, charging him with several crimes, including sexual assault, strangulation, and unlawful restraint. Police said signs of abuse were evident.

The victim told officials she had been held captive since May 1, and Brewer told her he would kill her and her children if she attempted to escape, according to WTAE.

On July 8, a stranger in a Carnegie Walmart bathroom found the woman's first note, ABC reported. The note reportedly said Brewer was keeping the woman prisoner, beating her, and sexually abusing her. She left a description of his car and the address where she was being held.

The stranger called 911, but when police knocked on Brewer's door, nobody answered, though authorities noted in a criminal complaint reviewed by ABC News that they heard "shuffling" inside. Authorities were unable to enter without a warrant.

Police also tried to contact the woman via phone, but Brewer picked up and told authorities she was on vacation in New York, according to NBC News.

The next day, another note was found, this time in the women's bathroom at the Fallingwater museum in Mill Run, south of Pittsburgh. In the note, the woman clarified that she was not on vacation and left additional details about her captor and how long she had been held.

"It states that she heard the police knocking at the residence, that the abuse hasn't stopped, and please don't give up," the complaint said, according to NBC.

Authorities spotted the victim on the museum's cameras and were able to obtain a search warrant, WTAE reported.

A SWAT team apprehended Brewer and the victim was taken to the hospital. She told authorities she never tried to run because she feared for her children's safety, the complaint said. She also said Brewer took her phone away and took nonconsensual sexual photos of her.

Brewer was released from Allegheny County Jail on Monday and has a hearing set for July 22.

WTAE reported that Brewer opened his door to a reporter on Tuesday but declined to comment.