A Lake Forest College student is facing serious allegations after another student accused him of assault on campus grounds. Luca Vulpescu, 22, was arrested and charged following accusations from Esmeralda Ramirez, 23. According to a statement obtained by WGN News, Ramirez described a harrowing encounter during which Vulpescu allegedly detained her, assaulted her, and threatened her with a knife during an early morning work study session. "The blade was against my throat. If I moved, if I breathed a little bit too heavy, my throat would've been sliced," Ramirez recounted.
Vulpescu has been charged with three felony counts of aggravated battery by strangulation and three misdemeanor counts, including battery resulting in bodily harm and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, as reported by CBS News. Despite these charges, Ramirez believes the response is insufficient. "He should be charged with attempted murder and attempted rape," she told WGN News. Community activists and Ramirez are planning to sue the college for negligence.
Following his arrest, Vulpescu made a court appearance and was subsequently released under several conditions, which include no contact with Ramirez and a restriction from leaving Illinois. Most notably, Vulpescu has been banned from returning to the Lake Forest College campus. However, Ramirez has vocalized her safety concern, given both Vulpescu's release and the accessibility of their college campus.
Ramirez also criticized Lake Forest College for not promptly informing the student body about the incident. "They're supposed to report it on their daily crime log that they have. That's where they report all of their crime on campus to alert students concerning safety. They haven't released any information on it," Ramirez said in her interview with WGN News. Vulpescu is due back in court on March 24, meanwhile, the police investigation remains ongoing.
