Philadelphia police arrested a 26-year-old man near the Frankford SEPTA terminal early Saturday after he allegedly snatched a 14-year-old girl and sexually assaulted her in nearby Wissinoming Park.
The attack occurred at about 2:25 a.m., police said. The girl reported that the man approached her in the park, grabbed her phone and bag, pushed her and assaulted her sexually. He then ran away with her phone, police said.
The victim made contact with a passer-by, who contacted police. Armed with a description of the attacker, officers arrested the suspect at the corner of Frankford Avenue and Bridge Street a short time later. Police did not release the identity of the alleged attacker.
The girl was taken to St. Christopher’s Hospital for evaluation, then released, police said. Her identity has not been released.
In speaking to WPVI-TV, the good Samaritan said that he first saw the girl at Brill and Charles streets leaning on a car, trembling and crying. He asked her what was wrong.
The girl replied, “she said she just got raped down the street from some guy,” said the good Samaritan, who asked the station not to broadcast his name.
The station further reported that the girl had walked toward the park from the SEPTA terminal just prior to the attack. ••
