Teen Says She Was Sexually Assaulted While Walking To School In Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) - A 15-year-old girl was taken to a local hospital after she told police she was sexually assaulted while walking to school on Detroit's west side.

The Detroit Police Evidence Tech van was on the scene, Wednesday morning — in a wooded area behind Henry Ford High School at Trojan and Grandville — where the teen said she was attacked.

The victims told police that she was attacked by a man wearing a black ski mask in O'Hare Park.

According to police talking to WWJ Newsradio 950's Mike Campbell, the student said she wouldn't ordinarily be walking alone but ended up doing so Wednesday because the friend she'd unusually walked with died when she hit by a car the day before.

A 14-year-old Henry Ford High School student was killed on Tuesday when she was struck by a minivan while trying to cross at 8 Mile Road and Evergreen. A 15-year-old girl who was injured in that accident remains hospitalized.

Mario Morrow with the Detroit Education Achievement Authority described the school's response.

"The young lady came into the school at approximately 7:50 a.m. and she indicated that she was sexually assaulted," said Morrow. "We immediately called the police and called her parents. We want people to know that this has happened and we want to make sure that this person gets off the streets."

"For these two incidents to happen right after one other is just tragic, it's tragic ... it's unfortunate for our children to have to go through this," Morrow.

Local resident, Troy Bassle, said the reported attack has parents in distress.

"My first thing was to tell my bae about what happened this morning, because her daughter goes to the bus stop early in the morning," he said. "And now she's scared and I'm scared."

Another neighbor, who wanted to be identified only as Ruthie, said that because of the park in the area, there are typically "strangers" around.

"It's not unusual for us to see, you know, a suspicious car sitting out here," she said. "It's kinda shocking. I mean, it's very close to home."

Police said they do have a description of the suspect and his vehicle, but those details were not immediately released as an investigation continues.

Police were reportedly using a K-9 unit search the area.