Police: Cat Saves Girl From Assault
Michigan Man Charged With Kidnapping
Posted: 8:38 a.m. EST March 27, 2002Updated: 1:03 p.m. EST March 27, 2002
A 7-year-old girl's cat saved her from an attempted sexual assault, according to police in Lansing, Mich.
Investigators said that Wulfrido Lopez (pictured, below), 36, brought the girl inside his home on Chestnut Street, put duct tape over her mouth and tried to remove her pants just after 6 p.m. Monday, The Lansing State Journal reported. The girl's cat attacked Lopez and she was able to escape.
Detective Brian Smitherman said that the girl was lucky that she had that cat in her hand.
"This could have turned out really bad," Smitherman said.
The girl lived nearby but didn't know the man, Smitherman told the Journal.
Lansing police went to the home with a search warrant, and found Lopez hiding in a crawl space in a basement, the Journal reported.
Lopez was arraigned Tuesday on a charge of kidnapping and child enticement, which is punishable by up to life in prison. He also was charged with criminal sexual conduct, assault with the intent to penetrate, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
He is jailed on a $300,000 bond.
Lopez will return to court on April 9 for a preliminary hearing.
Investigators said that Wulfrido Lopez (pictured, below), 36, brought the girl inside his home on Chestnut Street, put duct tape over her mouth and tried to remove her pants just after 6 p.m. Monday, The Lansing State Journal reported. The girl's cat attacked Lopez and she was able to escape.
Detective Brian Smitherman said that the girl was lucky that she had that cat in her hand.
"This could have turned out really bad," Smitherman said.
The girl lived nearby but didn't know the man, Smitherman told the Journal.
Lansing police went to the home with a search warrant, and found Lopez hiding in a crawl space in a basement, the Journal reported.
Lopez was arraigned Tuesday on a charge of kidnapping and child enticement, which is punishable by up to life in prison. He also was charged with criminal sexual conduct, assault with the intent to penetrate, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
He is jailed on a $300,000 bond.
Lopez will return to court on April 9 for a preliminary hearing. Copyright 2002 by Channel3000.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
