Police Seek Public Help in 7-Year-old Girl Sex Assault Case

This story was reported and written by Upper Marlboro Patch Local Editor Michael Theis.

Calling it a "highly unusual and disturbing crime", officials with the Prince George's County Police are appealing for the public's help to investigate a crime which left a 7-year-old girl the victim of a sexual assault over the weekend in Marlton, just south of Upper Marlboro.

"We feel confident that there were people out here who have seen something or heard something," said Julie Parker, spokesperson from the Prince George's County Police Department, during a press conference held on Monday afternoon near the scene of the crime. "We ask those people to please come forward."

On Monday afternoon, recruits from the Prince George's County Police Academy combed through the scene of the crime, a small-but-dense grove of trees abutting an apartment complex on the 8800 block of Heathermore Boulevard. Standing arms-length apart, the recruits formed into a line and advanced step-by-step through the grove in search of evidence connected to the crime.

According to a statement posted to the Prince George's County Police blog, the assault occurred on Sat., June 22 at about 3 p.m. on the 8800 block of Heathermore Blvd. Police say they a man approached the girl, assaulted her behind an apartment building and then ran away.

Police also released additional details on the crime.

According to Julie Parker, spokesperson for the Prince George's County Police Department, the girl was spending time with a group of other youngsters at the apartment complex. At some point around 3 p.m., she left the group and began riding a scooter on the sidewalk around the apartment building. Police said the victim told investigators that, once she was behind the apartment building, she was approached by an older, balding white man with a goatee but no moustache. The victim told police that the man was armed with a handgun and forced the girl into the woods where she was assaulted.

According to Parker, the entire incident happened "in the span of a couple of minutes."

Parker said that after the assault, the girl found the group of children she had been playing with and informed them of what happened. The children then alerted the girl's mother, who immediately reported the incident to police.

Investigators responding the scene afterward deployed K-9 units, but were unable to pick up a trail.

Anyone who thinks they have information related to this investigation can leave anonymous tips on the Crime Solvers line at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or via text by texting “PGPD [your message]” to CRIMES (274637).

Tips can also be submitted online.

Crime Solvers is offering a cash reward for tips that lead to an arrest and indictment in this case, according to police.

Additional reporting by Brandie Jefferson. Story posted on Mon, June 24, 2:55 p.m.