CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Police have released a sketch of the man who is wanted in connection with a terrifying attack on a girl in the Washington Park neighborhood. An 11-year-old girl was dragged into an alley and sexually abused on her way home from school along a Safe Passage route.
The details are disturbing. That 11-year-old wasn't able to sleep Thursday night after escaping her attacker — but her mom says she is proud that her daughter not only got away, but was able to provide police with a good description of the person responsible.
The man is wanted for kidnapping and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, police say.
It happened Thursday around 3:30 p.m. in the 6200 block of South Indiana Avenue, when the girl was walking home from school. An unknown man approached her from behind, covered her mouth with his hand, and pulled her into a secluded area of the alley, where he sexually abused her, police say.
The girl was able to break free and run away, and the assaulter fled.
The suspect is described as an African American man, between 45 and 60 years old, between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall. He is said to have a thin build, graying hair and a mustache or goatee. He was wearing a black shirt (the right sleeve had a rip), black jeans with a silver belt buckle and black, beat up work boots.
Several groups in the area want to know how something like this could happen in one of Chicago Public Schools' "Safe Passage" zones, where CPS assigns adults to watch over routes to and from school to help keep an eye on the kids.
"Safe Passage workers should have been able to see her if they was out there doing what they were paid to do. As you look down the street, you see all Safe Passage signs. Whether it's Safe Passage, whether it's people working on safety, or whatever it is, you should have been out here protecting this young girl," said Andre Smith, with the Washington Park Residents Advisory Council
Community leaders will meet outside Dulles Elementary school Monday morning to address the recent incident. They are offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the man responsible.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Special Investigation Unit at (312)492-3810. Anonymous tips can also be submitted at CPDTIP.com.
feuille-morte on October 11st, 2022 at 03:20 UTC »
Why is it called a Safe Passage route? Seems like that would imply some kind of preventative measures that clearly weren't in place.
fbtcu1998 on October 11st, 2022 at 02:42 UTC »
$2500 reward seems rather light for a person accused of aggravated sexual assault on a minor.
Aintaword on October 11st, 2022 at 02:25 UTC »
Hadn't heard of this Safe Passage. I'm both glad they have it and sad they need it. And dismayed it didn't work this time.
https://www.cps.edu/services-and-supports/student-safety-and-security/safe-passage-program/