Suspect Sought in Sexual Assault of 11-Year-Old Girl Walking Home From School
Authorities say the victim was able to break free, and the offender fled in an unknown direction.
Several Chicago community groups joined forces Monday, pleading for the public’s assistance in locating the person who attacked a young girl as she walked home from school last week.
The assault occurred this past Thursday just blocks away from Dulles Elementary School in the city’s Washington Park neighborhood.
At approximately 3 p.m., an 11-year-old girl was heading home from school in the 6200 block of South Indiana Avenue when an unknown man approached her from behind, placed his hand over her mouth and pulled her into an alley where he assaulted her, according to a community alert issued by Chicago police.
“For something like this to happen in our community, especially since we had a good summer, we need to come to the bottom and find out exactly who this person is,” said Cecilia Butler of the Washington Park Resident Advocacy Council.
Authorities say victim was able to break free, and the offender fled in an unknown direction.
“Focus on this young lady make sure she gets the help she needs,” said activist Tio Hardiman with the group Violence Interrupters. “And I’m putting a call out to all the men in the community, there should be 1,000 Black men looking for this guy to try to make this young girl.”
At the time of the assault, Chicago police say the suspect was wearing a black shirt with a rip on the right sleeve, black jeans with a silver belt buckle, and black work boots that appeared to have been beat up.
Community activists have teamed up to offer a $4,000 reward for anyone who has information that leads to an arrest.
“I’m calling on the Chicago public schools to make sure they have counselors at the school, that someone is giving counsel to that mother and that child because you cannot give a child back their dignity once you take it from them,” said resident Bamani Obadele.
Anyone with information about the incident or someone who matches the description is asked to call the Chicago Police Department’s Special Investigation Unit at 312-492-3810. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online at cpdtip.com