Man rapes 11-year-old girl at Gwen Cherry Park near Brownsville, Miami-Dade deputies say
An 18-year-old man faces sexual assault charges after allegedly luring an 11-year-old girl into a bathroom at a Miami-Dade park and raping her, authorities said.
The suspect was apprehended by citizens who intervened, police reported Wednesday.
Alleged assault at Gwen Cherry Park
The incident occurred Tuesday at Gwen Cherry Park, located at 7090 NW 22nd Ave., just north of Brownsville, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.
The victim told investigators that Antwan Johnson approached her, asking for a "favor."
He requested she retrieve toilet paper from the women's bathroom, claiming the men's room had none, an arrest report said.
Johnson allegedly followed the girl into the bathroom, grabbed her and took her to the last stall. There, he covered her mouth, causing a cut on her lip, choked her and sexually assaulted her twice after lowering her shorts and underwear, the report stated.
Citizens intervene, suspect detained
A woman entering the bathroom witnessed the assault and screamed for help, alerting others in the park.
Mike Santiague, a bystander who helped apprehend Johnson, recalled the moment, "She kind of screamed out for help like, 'Hey, he just raped this little girl' and I was the guy that locked eyes with him and he just took off running."
"In the midst of running across the street and chasing him, I just wanted answers," he added.
Santiague and another man chased Johnson, cornering him in nearby backyards.
"We kind of trapped him in some backyards, and we kind of got him out, and police was — they came very fast — they came about the next three minutes or so," Santiague said.
The citizens detained Johnson until Miami-Dade police arrived and arrested him.
Victim traumatized, suspect charged
The young victim was visibly traumatized, according to Santiague.
"I know she was crying and she was saying he did all type of heinous things to her," he said.
Reflecting on the incident, Santiague added, "I couldn't sleep last night. I'm kind of overwhelmed by the situation. I'm really just in disbelief."
Johnson was booked into jail and charged with sexual battery on a minor, kidnapping and false imprisonment of a child under 13, authorities said.
He remains in custody, with no further details released about a court appearance.
