Sheriff: Burglar Broke Into Home, Then Tried To Sexually Assault Girl

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Deputies are searching for a man who allegedly broke in to a South Sacramento home to burglarize the residence, but then tried to sexually assault a 12-year-old.

It happened off of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard around 11 a.m. Wednesday.

A woman said the young girl came running out of her house screaming and crying.

"I couldn't imagine anything like that," said Analiese Benedict who has two children and lives nearby. "I'm just so thankful that nothing like that has ever happened to my children and I hope that with all that's in me it never does."

Deputies said the girl's mother went to the grocery store. That's when a man believed to be 20 years old broke in to burglarize the home, but saw another opportunity.

"When you have somebody that's coming into the residence for one reason and then can flip a switch and attack you sexually, that's concerning for us," said Sgt. Tony Turnbull with the sheriff's department.

He said she was one brave 12-year-old.

"She fought back as hard as she could, saying that she was going to call the police and really stopped the assault at where it was at that point," he said.

Deputies responded to the scene and set up a perimeter. A K9 search of the area was conducted with negative results.

The suspect was described as an Asian or Hispanic male adult, approximately 20 years old, 5'11" tall, thin build, with shoulder length black hair and a goatee.

Sheriff's Child Abuse detectives are asking anyone with information relating to this incident, to please contact the Sheriff's Department at (916) 874-5115 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP. Tip information may also be left anonymously at www.sacsheriff.com or by calling (916) 874-TIPS (8477).