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13-year-old raped while home aloneBy MIKE BRASSFIELD
© St. Petersburg Times, ST. PETERSBURG -- A 13-year-old girl was raped in her home at gunpoint Wednesday, prompting a nearby church school to warn its students to be careful while walking to and from campus. The girl was attacked about 8 a.m. Wednesday by a stranger who came to the door of her family's home, police said. She lives in the area between 15th and 22nd avenues N and between Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) and 16th streets. The girl was home alone. "She was getting ready for school when she heard a knock at the door," said police spokesman Rick Stelljes. The girl opened the door, and a man standing outside asked if her father was home. The girl said no, and the man left. But he came back about a minute later and knocked again. The girl opened the door again, and the stranger pulled a gun and forced his way into the house, Stelljes said. The man ransacked the house and raped the girl. The rapist was described as a short, 30- to 40-year-old Hispanic man with straight hair about down to his collar and possibly with a mustache. He was about 5 feet 5 inches tall and 200 pounds. He was wearing a purple shirt, blue jeans and a white baseball cap with red trim, said police spokesman George Kajtsa. No one saw the car he was driving, but neighbors did see a suspicious older-model white car in the area on Tuesday and Wednesday, Kajtsa said. The principal of St. Paul Catholic School at 1900 12th St. N sent a letter home with students, alerting parents to the threat. "Please remind your child not to talk to strangers, walkers should be in pairs, don't accept a ride from any stranger, and when home alone, do not open the door to strangers," principal Louise Cusumano wrote. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Joe Deluca at (727) 893-4994 or the St. Petersburg police communications center at (727) 893-7780.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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