A 14-year-old girl was sitting alone on a park bench Saturday night when she was violently attacked by a man Saturday night in Santa Ana, according to Santa Ana police.
Investigators say the 14-year-old girl walked alone to Cabrillo Park following an argument with her mother and was sitting on a park bench around 1 a.m. when a man sat next to her and struck up a conversation in Spanish.
When she tried to walk away, the man pulled out a knife and began punching her.
"He strikes her in the head and torso with a closed fist, chokes her and forces her to commit a lewd act," Santa Ana Police Department corporal Anthony Bertagna said.
The suspect is described as a man in his 30s, around 5-foot-7 and 165 pounds, with short black hair, brown eyes and a short beard.
The girl was eventually able to escape and ran home.
Police say that they do not believe that the man is a transient despite numerous homeless people frequenting the park.
News
Top news of the day
On Wednesday, families using the playground told NBC4 they feel safe at the park during the day, but they never come after dark because the park is not well lit and has no security cameras.
"I don't come here at night," Jasmine Guillian, a Santa Ana resident, said. "It's not safe, especially for girls. There're always men here."
Parents are warning their kids to be especially cautious of strangers.
Police have stepped up patrols around the park, and they're checking with the nearby cities of Tustin and Orange to see if they have any similar attacks.
