Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Man charged in kidnap, sex assault of girl, 4
Cops: Stranger knocked on door, and then nabbed child
A 35-year-old southern Chester County man is being held in prison on charges that he kidnapped and sexually assaulted a 4-year-old girl in Avondale last weekend, with authorities saying Thursday that the suspect was a stranger to the child and her family.
“This crime is every parent’s nightmare,” said District Attorney Tom Hogan in a news release announcing the arrest of Humberto Guzman-Garcia. “A monster comes out of the night, abducts your child, and sexually assaults her. This is proof that evil exists in this world.”
The child was reportedly taken from the bedroom of her borough home while her parents slept. Her father was able to halt the attack when he went outside to look for her. Neither the child nor her parents have been publicly identified.
According to the news release, at approximately 3:30 a.m. on June 10, the alleged victim’s father and mother realized that their daughter was missing from her bedroom in the family residence. Both parents then began to look for the victim.
When the girl’s father went outside, he spotted the defendant about 50 yards away behind a shed, holding down the girl, his pants unbuckled. When he knew he had been seen, Guzman-Garcia fled, The father retrieved his daughter, and noted that her underwear had been taken off and was on the ground.
According to the release, the little girl told her father that she heard a knock at the home’s front door and opened it. The defen-
dant then allegedly took her outside and sexually assaulted her.
The police were called immediately. They found Guzman-Garcia,a 35-yearold London Grove man whose address is less then two miles from the girl’s home in the borough, hiding nearby in a disabled car. The alleged victim’s father was able to identify the suspect, according to the release.
He was charged by arresting state Trooper Stefano Gallina of the Avondale barracks with kidnapping, aggravated indecent assault, attempted rape, and related charges. He was arraigned on Sunday by Magisterial District Judge Lori Donatelli of Uwchlan, who set his bail at $500,000 cash. His preliminary hearing is tentatively set for June 22 before Magisterial District Judge Matthew Seavey of Avondale,
Hogan said that Guzman-Garcia is a complete stranger to the victim’s family. It is unknown whether he had observed the victim earlier in the day and followed her to the family’s residence, or had been stalking her for some period of time. Evidence was found to suggest that he had been waiting outside the home for some time before abducting the girl.
In his criminal complaint, Gallia stated that he had interviewed Guzman-Garcia the morning of his arrest, and that the man acknowledged taking the child and molesting her. He said that he did not know the family at all.
“This was a bold and brazen attack,” said Hogan in the release. “Given the nature of the attack, we are concerned that there could have been prior victims. Anybody with information about Humberto GuzmanGarcia should call the police to assist in the investigation. We will not stand for children being hurt in Chester County.”
“Vigilance on the part of the young girl’s parents and quick work from responding troopers were instrumental in apprehending a dangerous predator,” said Captain James H. Fisher, commanding officer of state Police Troop J. “We appreciate the diligence of District Attorney Hogan and his team in seeking justice for the victim.”
Deputy District Attorney Megan King of the DA’s Child Abuse Unit is the assigned prosecutor. Pennsylvania State Police – Avondale Barracks investigated this case, assisted by the Chester County Detectives. Anybody with information should contact Gallina at (610) 268-2022.