Police Canvas Neighborhood Where Teen Girl Was Attacked

Police canvassed the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood Sunday afternoon as they continued their investigation into a brutal assault that left a 15-year-old girl in critical condition last week.

Chicago police officers handed out flyers and spoke with residents near the intersection of West Fullerton and North Long Avenue, close to where the teen was attacked while walking to school.

The teen, an honor student at a charter school, was found lying bloody and battered shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday morning in front of a home on the 2400 block of North Long Avenue. The resident who found her said her pants and shoes were on, but her backpack was dropped in an alleyway.

The victim remained at Mount Sinai Hospital with serious head injuries.

"It affects all officers, it affects the public, we never want anything like this to happen," said Sgt. Timothy Dineen. "We're doing everything we can out here to catch the person who did this."

Residents say the increased police presence has helped the community since the attack.

"Before, I used to never see cops around here, now I see them on every corner and at night," said resident Kassandra Delreao. "I do feel safer. I think they're doing a good job."

Police Supt. Garry McCarthy on Thursday evening tried to allay the fears of residents in Chicago's Belmont-Cragin neighborhood, promising to catch the "monster" who brutally attacked a 15-year-old girl

"Try not to go out by yourself," he told those gathered at Northwest Community Church, on the 5300 block of West Diversey. "We are going to make sure that we catch this monster."

On Wednesday, Chicago police officers and members of the Guardian Angels community group worked side-by-side to disseminate information about the crime in hopes of ultimately catching the girl's attacker.

On the same day, a letter from an official at the girl's school sent a letter to parents and students.

"This is a terrible incident and we are all deeply saddened that a member of our ... family was the victim of such an awful attack," the letter read.
 

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