DNA test results could come back Monday in the brutal rape of an 11-year-old Kensington girl. Police and prosecutors expect to then charge the suspect, Jose Carrasquillo.
The little girl's family hosted a bar-b-que over the weekend for the vigilante heroes who caught her alleged attacker.
"It's just an incredibly tragic situation," Mayor Michael Nutter told reporters at the party, according to the Metro. "Anything we can do to strengthen her spirit, help to speed her physical recovery as well as her psychological and spiritual, I think is a very important thing. She's a very strong young lady, but we have to remember she's only 11 years old."
"To see her smile is all I can ask right now," said her father, as he hugged her and watched scores of police officers hug and reassure his daughter. "We're so glad we can bring a little happiness to her life," said Sgt. Renee Butler.
The girl's father told the Inquirer he wants to move out of the Kensington neighborhood so his little girl can recover, emotionally.
She told him at one point, "Daddy, people shouldn't be doing this to little kids."
The little girl was followed, forced into an alley and sexually assaulted on her way to school. The attack was so brutal she needed surgery. Carrasquillo was spotted and taken down by a street mob. The two men who led that charge split $11,500 in reward money.
The little girl went with her dad on Friday to a community event to honor David Vargas and Fernando Genval. Her dad said to everyone in the room, "Just thank you for caring." On Saturday, he gave Vargas a big bear hug. "I feel great to be here, having him (the suspect) off the street."
The mob scene was caught on tape by a surveillance camera and the victim watched that tape when she got home from the hospital. Her grandmother told NBC10's Mike Strug the little girl wanted to see the video, despite her warnings.
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"Baby, you don't have to watch it, I told her, but she said 'I want to watch it because I want to see them kick his butt. I just want to stab him too. I want to hurt him too,'" is how the grandmother recounted the conversation.
"If I get a hold of him, I would like to castrate him," the victim's grandmother said about Carrasquillo. The victim's mom said her daughter was having a hard time sleeping.
"She just can't get the nasty stuff that he did to her out of her head. I have to hold her at night and sleep with her all night long."
Carrasquillo, 26, was hospitalized for two days. He was turned over to police Thursday to be questioned in the rape of the 11-year old and two other cases, according to police sources. Investigators believe he may have followed and groped a 15-year old girl on her way to school the very same morning. She screamed and her attacker fled. He was also questioned about a third assault on a woman at 3rd and Cumberland in recent days, sources said.
"It's good to have him off the street. People can take a sigh of relief," said Ramsey.
A fund has been set up to help the little girl's family cover medical expenses, counseling and/or future surgeries. To donate money you can simply walk into any Bank of America and tell them you want to contribute to the "Little Angel Trust Fund."
