Man Accused Of Raping 7-Year-Old Girl Arrested, Charged
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A man wanted for the alleged rape of a 7-year-old girl in the city's Northview Heights section is in police custody.
According to court paperwork, police have arrested 22-year-old Juwan Mitchell.
He is facing several charges, including kidnapping and rape.
According to the criminal complaint, Mitchell approached the victim outside of her grandmother's house on Hazlett Street earlier this month.
Police say he told the little girl he was her "uncle" and asked if she wanted to go to the store with him.
The girl went with Mitchell, who instead is accused of taking her to a home she did not know. Police say he took her to a basement bathroom, locked the door and assaulted her.
When police later arrived at the scene, Mitchell was already gone.
Police officers were able to identify him from surveillance video because of his prior arrests.
WATCH: KDKA's Bob Allen reports live --
A neighbor who did not want to be identified said parents should get outside and keep their eyes on their children.
"Watch your kid," she said. "You never know what's going on up here."
Alison Hall, Executive Director of Pittsburgh Action Against Rape says 700 children are sexually assaulted in the Pittsburgh area every year.
She says the attackers have a plan and a purpose.
"They strategize; they have a plan. They look for children who are vulnerable, who are quiet, who they think will not tell about their actions or children who they can threaten."
Another parent says she'll keep a closer eye on her children after seeing Mitchell multiple times in the neighborhood.
"I don't know him personally, but I'd be sitting around and see him walking around and saying hi to everybody, but I didn't know personally that he'd do this."
KDKA's Bob Allen is told the girl will physically recover.
Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.
