Posted on 08/21/2002 8:01:27 AM PDT by Bubba_Leroy
Father subdued intruder quickly Burglar was caught in 9-year-old's bed and held for police
By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News August 21, 2002
CENTENNIAL - The father who caught an intruder in his 9-year-old daughter's bed Sunday morning said he was in shock when he saw the man, but reacted quickly.
"I grabbed him by the throat with one arm, and grabbed my daughter with the other arm and pushed her to the door, to my wife," the 32-year-old father said Tuesday. "She (my wife) took her to another bedroom and called 911."
Early Sunday morning, Erik Scott O'Connell, 22, of Conifer, allegedly went inside a home on East Dry Creek Place through a window in the lower family room, took money from a wallet left on the kitchen counter, and went upstairs.
He allegedly made his way into the 9-year-old girl's bedroom, stripped off all his clothing except for a T-shirt, and slipped into the girl's bed.
The girl's father said he and his wife had gone to bed shortly after midnight. He is not being identified because the case involves charges related to sexual assault.
They were awakened about two hours later by their 4-year-old dog, a Labrador-terrier mix, barking and growling in their second floor bedroom.
He said he checked the bedroom of two sons but found nothing. But when he got to his daughter's room, he was shocked at what he saw.
"I saw a man lying in the bed with my daughter," he said. "She was asleep."
Although the girl was closer to her father, he said his first reaction was to grab the intruder before shoving his daughter to safety.
"He was fighting me to get out," the girl's father said. "My objective was to keep him there. I grabbed him by the throat and suffocated (sic) him."
He said he could smell alcohol on O'Connell, whom he managed to detain until Arapahoe County Sheriff deputies arrived about two minutes later.
"Although (the father) denied it, I consider him a hero," said Arapahoe County interim Sheriff Grayson Robinson. "I consider his daughter and his wife heroes. They took appropriate measures to remove the child from a dangerous situation."
The girl's father said his family hasn't decided whether to move from the home, where they have lived for two years. Both his daughter and wife are doing relatively well, considering what happened.
"It has been very difficult for me and my family," he said. "We never experienced anything like this. I should not have to deal with a situation like this."
O'Connell remains in the Arapahoe County Jail on $50,000 bail. He faces one count of first-degree burglary, which was upgraded Tuesday from a second-degree burglary charge; two counts of criminal intent, sexual assault on a child; one theft charge; and one misdemeanor assault charge.
Lolololololololololol!!!
Bump!
We have a Chihuahau/Dachshund mix. She's VERY territorial and seems to be convinced down to her claws that her mission in life is to destroy anyone who's not "family." Since she is also small, there's little real chance that she'd be able to do much, beyond snarl and howl prodigiously, but that's enough.
I have no fear at all that ANYONE could get into our house, much less my daughter's bedroom, without all doggy hell breaking loose.
I couldn't agree more!
Violence is uderrated anymore, and our society is the worse for it.
So I guess as far as the media is concerned it is only news if there is an unknown ending in a case, but when there is an ending then it gets looked over as no news..........
I am partial, but Boxers are the best dog in the world for kids. They are also magnificent watchdogs. They are very intelligent and aware of everything going on around them. They are also extremely clean, they tend to clean themselves like cats. They have no odor at all.
No one, NO ONE comes into the yard or the front door without our Boxer knowing about it. They are friendly by nature, but are absolutely without fear when confronting a threat to their family. I've seen mine confronting what he thought was a threatening person in our home after midnight--very intimidating. The perfect dog, really.
Prayers for the little girl and her family.
You are so right. It doesn't matter if it's a little yappy dog or a big barking dog. Dogs don't let strangers near their families. Heck, my dogs don't allow squirrels on the lawn without a warning.
check out these wonderful folks who do Ridgeback Rescue:
http://web2.petfinder.org/shelters/TX179.html
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