Crime & Safety

Sexual Assault Occurred During Catonsville Stars Homecoming Celebration

Two 13-year-old girls reportedly dragged into woods and sexually assaulted during Catonsville Recreation and Parks youth football homecoming games on Saturday.

The sexual assault of two 13-year-old girls that reportedly occurred Saturday evening near a Catonsville High School athletic field took place during or shortly after a Catonsville Stars football game.

Eleven games were played on Saturday as Catonsville Recreation and Parks youth football celebrated its homecoming, according to the program's President Bryan Wynn.

"There were games all day long," Wynn said.

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According to police, at around 9:30 p.m., the two girls met a male acquaintance and three of his friends near the athletic field concession stand.

The suspects tried to talk the victims into accompanying them into a nearby woods. When the girls refused, the suspects reportedly dragged them into the wooded area, according to police.

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The four suspects touched the girls inappropriately and exposed themselves, police said.

Police spokeswoman Cpl. Cathleen Batton said that the victims did not attend Catonsville High School. Officials have not released the names of the victims or any other identifying information.

Police are investigating the identities of the suspects, Batton said. Their ages and school affiliation, if any, is unknown, she said.

According to the Catonsville Stars website, the football program played 11 games on Saturday, Oct. 20. The group's first game, against the HC Terps, was scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.

Catonsville was slated to play against youth football teams from Arbutus, Randallstown, Middle River, West Carroll, and Ellicott City. The last five games were against Ellicott City, with the final one beginning at 8:30 p.m.

"There were hundreds and hundreds of people there" during the day-long series of games, Wynn said. "As many as 1,500 people."

About 30-40 parents were directly involved in conducting the football games throughout the day, he said.

According to Wynn, activities on the football field lasted until 9:30-10 p.m.

Wynn said that he was unaware of anything untoward taking place on Saturday and has not yet been contacted by police.

"I can't speak about what happened in the woods," he said.


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