Crime & Law
Police: Teen’s Report of Kidnapping, Sexual Abuse in Wicker Park ‘Unfounded’
A 13-year-old girl this week told Chicago police she’d been kidnapped, beaten and sexually abused by a stranger who grabbed her in broad daylight as she was walking down the street Tuesday in Wicker Park. Authorities quickly released a community alert and suspect description, but now say the reported incident did not happen.
The Chicago Police Department issued a notice Thursday morning indicating the alleged kidnapping and abuse had been declared “unfounded.”
The girl initially told police she had been walking eastbound on Hirsch Street from the 1300 block of North Claremont Avenue at around 3:40 p.m. Tuesday when she was approached by a black male who had a black hooded sweatshirt tied around his face.
The girl said the man grabbed her from behind, according to the CPD’s initial community alert, and put her in a purple or maroon four-door vehicle where he “physically battered” her. He then took her to the Humboldt Park Lagoon where she was sexually abused before fleeing the area, according to the alert based on the girl’s report.
The girl was apparently found near the lagoon a short time later, according to the alert, which also included brief descriptions of the alleged offender and his vehicle.
Police sent another notice Wednesday evening with a brief statement: “After further investigation, the attached community alert that was previously released has now been classified as unfounded.”
A police department spokeswoman would not say Thursday whether criminal charges are being considered against the juvenile for allegedly filing a false police report.
“We have no updates yet,” spokeswoman Karie James said in an email.
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431
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