Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Police Investigate Separate Attempted Rapes Of Young Girls
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 15, 2016
Modified Jul 15, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 15, 2016
Modified Jul 15, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
An attempted rape of an eight-year-old girl in her East Harlem apartment last week is one of two disturbing assaults on girls currently under investigation by the NYPD. In a separate incident, a 13-year-old girl was threatened into letting a man into her Bronx apartment, where he sexually assaulted her.
The Manhattan attack occurred on Thursday, July 7th at around 11:15 p.m. The eight-year-old girl was sleeping in her home near East 108th Street and First Avenue when she woke up to find a man in her room. The man tried to sexually assault her and then fled through her bedroom window and out a rear fire escape.
A sketch of the suspect, described as a man in his 20s with black shoulder length hair and acne-like skin, was released.
Yesterday, a 13-year-old girl was followed into her building near Jennings Street and Intervale Avenue in the Bronx by an attempted rapist. The man followed her into the elevator and, according to police, "coerced her into letting him inside her apartment. Once inside, the suspect displayed a knife and demanded money. When the victim told him that she didn't have any he placed some property inside her bookbag. He then forced the victim to perform oral sex on him and tried to rape her."
The suspect, who fled with the bookbag, was described as being 18 years old, 5'8" and 145-150 pounds, last seen wearing black pants, black slippers and white socks, with a red T-shirt or towel on his shoulder. He was also carrying a light colored bookbag. Surveillance footage of him was distributed:
Anyone with information in regards to these incidents is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
Tagged
attempted rape
bronx
crime
east harlem
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
5 men charged with trespassing in 2 Manhattan manhole cases
Two people who were found soaking wet and smelling of sewage say they went underground to look for jewelry, according to police and a criminal complaint.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 7:49 p.m. ET
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
News
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
By
Carol Chen
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .