Inset: Obed Reyes (Hall County Jail). Background: The damaged apartment wall at the center of the case in Gainesville, Ga. (Gainesville Police Department).
A Georgia man has been jailed after police say he forced his way into a family’s apartment through an unexpected route and attacked a teenage girl inside.
Obed Reyes, 29, is facing one count each of kidnapping, aggravated assault, burglary, and criminal attempt, along with two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree, the Gainesville Police Department said.
The alleged attack happened on Aug. 4 at an apartment complex on Summit Street Southeast in Gainesville, a mid-sized city about 55 miles northeast of Atlanta.
Around 10 p.m. that night, Reyes allegedly broke into the victim’s apartment by smashing straight through a closet wall, police said, according to Atlanta-based ABC affiliate WSB.
After getting inside the unit, Reyes allegedly targeted a 15-year-old girl. Police said he grabbed the teenager by her hair and punched her several times while her 5-year-old and 7-year-old family members watched.
The girl managed to break free at first and ran into the breezeway, authorities said. But Reyes allegedly followed her, seized her by the hair again, and continued hitting her as she screamed for help.
During the assault, Reyes also allegedly threatened to rape the victim, police said.
As the victim fought off the defendant, witnesses called 911, police said. Officers arrived at the apartment complex to find the assault in progress, then intervened and pulled the man off the girl, police said.
“I commend the witnesses’ quick response of calling 911 to get our officers there in time to prevent further torment and trauma of the victim,” Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish said in a statement. “‘See something, say something’ goes a long way in our community, and we are grateful to have a community that looks out for each other. Our officers did an excellent job removing a violent criminal off the streets, and that was just the beginning.”
Investigators said both the victim and the defendant lived in the same apartment building but did not otherwise know one another.
The defendant is being detained in the Hall County Jail on no bond. He is also on an immigration detainer, records show.
“The victim has a long road of recovery ahead following such traumatic events, and we hope our community can surround her with that support,” Parrish added in comments to WSB.
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