PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Police are asking for the public's help in finding a man whom they say assaulted a teenage girl two weeks ago in her South Philadelphia home.
They say it happened around 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 21, in a home on South Third Street near Porter Street in Whitman.
Special Victims Unit Capt. James Kearney said a woman and her 15-year-old daughter were inside getting ready for bed when a man got into the house.
"An unknown male entered their property through the back window and proceeded to ransack the house [in what] we think was a burglary, at which time he then proceeded to sexually assault the juvenile female who was in bed getting ready to go to sleep for the night,” said Kearney.
"We're thinking it was more of a burglary that escalated into an indecent assault on our juvenile victim."
Police have released a surveillance video of a man in his late teens to early 20s fleeing through an alley between 3rd and American streets.
"We have him going through that alley,” said Kearney. “It's not great video, but we think in that close-knit South Philly community, someone might know him."
Kearney describes the suspect as having dark, curly hair and a goatee, wearing a dark shirt, light blue skinny jeans and white sneakers.
Police ask anyone with information to call 911 and not to approach the suspect if they see him.
Another home down the street was also broken into the same day, and someone was arrested. But police say they don't believe the two cases are connected.
Police are also asking for help with a separate assault that took place on Aug. 11.
Related
Officers say a woman was walking home near 11th and Chestnut streets in Center City around 1:30 a.m. A man nearby walked up and tried to start a conversation with her.
Police said she took out her phone to call 9-1-1, when the man grabbed her, pulled her into a lot, and raped her.
People with tips on either case can call the Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3251 or 215-685-3252. They can also give a tip call to 215-686-8477, text a tip to 773847, or e-mail tips@phillypolice.com.
