The Philadelphia police department is amidst an intensified search for a male suspect, after a disturbing incident occurred on Friday night involving the abduction and sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl in North Philadelphia's Tioga-Nicetown neighborhood, as 6abc reported.
The girl was asleep in a 2010 white Ford Taurus that was left with its engine running near Germantown and Erie avenues, when an unidentified man with a thin build, decked in dark clothing, seized the opportunity, stealing the car with the child still inside, according to FOX29.
At approximately 9:50 p.m., a mere 20 minutes after the reported theft, the child was located at Broad Street and Roosevelt Boulevard where she was found to have been sexually assaulted and was promptly taken to a local hospital for treatment and evaluation the police quickly responded to the abduction, and after ascertaining the victim's account, began a pursuit for both the suspect and the stolen vehicle which still remains at large, as confirmed by CBS News Philadelphia.
The repercussions of the evening's events stirred a notable reaction from the community with Leonard Greher, assistant manager at the local Domino's on Broad Street, acknowledging the heightened police presence that ensued, "It was a lot of cops out here last night it was very busy," Greher told FOX29, adding, "It's wrong that somebody stole the car and assaulted her – that's bad." This incident marks the third such event in three weeks in Philadelphia, where a vehicle was stolen with a child inside, fortunately, in the previous instances the children were found unharmed, yet the aggregation of these instances has surged a plea for parental vigilance.
Moreover, the police have extended a call for any individual possessing information regarding the suspect or the whereabouts of the white Ford Taurus to contact the Special Victim’s Unit at 215-685-3251 or to use the PPD tipline at 215-686-TIPS (8477) aims to bring closure in earnest to the pursuit, as per a note from CBS News Philadelphia.
In retrospect Cindy Campbell of North Philly, voiced a critical opinion on the pattern of negligence telling FOX29, "Parents need to be more aware of what they’re doing with their children," further illustrating the vital lesson framed by such harrowing circumstances.
