Police: 15-Year-Old Girl Sexually Assaulted In Jefferson Park Alley
(CBS) -- The sex assault of a 15-year-old girl has prompted a community warning in the Jefferson Park neighborhood.
Police say the teen was walking near Farnsworth School in the 5500 block of West Balmoral Avenue around 5 p.m. when a man grabbed her from behind, put his hand over her mouth, pulled her into an alley and assaulted her. She broke free. Tuesday afternoon, police and the school sent out an alert.
Mike Dziedic has lived in this Jefferson Park pocket almost his whole life. Hearing about the sexual assault of the girl just down the street leaves him unsettled, to say the least. He has a daughter and says, "Of course it concerns me."
"I noticed that we haven't had much of a police presence in our neighborhood," said Bernadette Meida.
Police statistics show criminal sexual assaults have increased in the 16th Police District over the past four years. Inquiries to Alderman John Arena about policing issues went unanswered.
"I'm really concerned, Meida said. "There's a lot of young kids. We're right by the school. I think they should be cruising the neighborhoods a little bit more."
The suspect is described as a man between 20-25 years old and 140-160 pounds. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, khakis and running shoes police say he has a distinctive shoehorn shaped scar over his right eye.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Area North Detectives at (312) 744-8261.