MARION COUNTY, Fla — A 14-year-old boy from Marion County is accused of sexually battering a 91-year-old woman, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office. Police say the teenager snuck into the woman's home in Reddick on June 8, then beat her and sexually assaulted her.
According to the arrest report, the teen knew the victim, as he would periodically stop by her home to talk with her. He stopped by and spoke to her on the porch hours before the attack, MCSO said. The victim said she was woken up near midnight and saw a "dark shadow" stooped over and coming down the hallway toward her bedroom. She said the victim "pounced" on top of her and struck her, then sexually assaulted her.
Police observed the victim in the hospital after the attack with a neck brace on, with bandages on her arm and "large, visible red and purple" bruises. They said her neck was "considerably swollen" and bruised, and her bottom lip, right cheek, forehead and the bridge of her nose were coated with "dried and fresh blood."
On June 9, police found the suspect as they were canvassing the area. A neighbor showed police surveillance footage of a figure jogging in the area. While they were speaking to the neighbor, the 14-year-old passed by on his bike, wearing clothing matching the footage, police said.
"I asked him if the figure in the footage was him; he started to say 'it looks like--' and then paused," the police officer said. After he was matched with the footage, he was subsequently arrested.
The teen suspect is in the custody of the Juvenile Justice Department being held without bond. First Coast News will not be showing his mugshot or sharing his name due to his age.