Father subdued intruder quickly - Burglar was caught in 9-year-old's bed and held for police

Rocky Mountain News ^ | August 21, 2002 | Tillie Fong

[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.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

I highly recommend a golden retriever for protection and kids. But I have had goldens and mutts and they were all just perfect dogs.

[RightWinger]

It would have been better for society if this scumbag was shot dead, on the spot.

[DETAILER]

This is why people should get a dog.....the dog alerted the parents, otherwise they may have slept through the whole thing...the dog is the hero.

I totally agree, my parents, who are getting older, have a CockerSpaniel that would have met this guy at the wwindow. And been raising total chaos. Nobody comes into HIS house.

[mystery-ak]

My hubby travels a lot(Army)...I have three pugs...they are the BEST with children, in fact my vet told me that when someone asks him what would be a good dog with kids, he recommends Pugs.
They are strictly inside dogs and very alert, but they are not an attack dog by any means.
They will let you know when someone is outside the house....gives you plently of time to arm yourself if need be.

[Valpal1]

A Shotgun Enema is a miracle cure for pedophiles. Works every time.

[John O]

Every liberal is a pedophile.

Wise words worth repeating

God Save America (Please)

[Marie]

I made a list of qualities that I wanted in my dog. Female, NOT a puppy, medium sized, intelligent, not hyper, etc. I then went to the pound looking for this dog. I intended to keep going back, once a week, for a year if that's what it took until I found "my" dog. I lucked out and found my baby (a Border collie mix) on the first try. She sleeps with my kids and I pity the idiot who tries to get to HER babies! ;-)

Long story short, I didn't look for a breed, I looked for characteristics.

[tracer]

What you say is true, and if it were otherwise, 9/11 might have turned out quite differently. The legacy of the liberals that infest us is the gutting of an America won by the shedding of the blood of patriots.....

[tracer]

Pugs rock and rule!!

[Skooz]

Let an intruder try to get past this:

Any Questions?

[Militiaman7]

[gcraig]

Death penalty.

[g'nad]

[TC Rider]

I would of called the cops right AFTER I shot him and then place HIS screw driver into his hand.

I know your heart is in the right place, but don't ever 'arrange' a crime scene or lie to the cops. The truth will out, and you'll be in the can.

Better to learn the law on self defense in your area and react appropriately.

Dead intruders make poor witnesses in court and that should be taken into consideration.

I would hope that if I ventilated a bad guy in my child's bed, the jury would be sympethetic without arranging weapons, etc.

If the cops catch you in a lie, everything else is suspect.

[glory]

I agree. We don't let our dog sleep in our bedrooms, however we can hear her bark downstairs(usually because there is an animal in the trashcans outside or a deer grazing). Only problem is if the animal knows the intruder like I think in the Van Dam case(next door neighbor, animal probably used to his scent), then they are less likely to make a fuss especially once they have checked things out.

[gcruse]

 
Every liberal is a pedophile.

Someone stupid enough to write
that, probably wrote this, too.
 
 
 

[Paleo Conservative]

I think a shotgun with bird shot would be ideal for removing his equipment.

[NorCoGOP]

I would definitely have introduced this scumbag pedophile to the martial art of "click-POW" - at no charge.

[Paleo Conservative]

Big mistake letting this guy live. This wannabe rapist WILL go out and do it again eventually. This father should have clamped down on the windpipe and not let go until this guy was stone dead. Now some other little girl is going to end up being raped because this father couldn't bring himself to kill a piece of filth when he had the chance to do it free and clear.

I'm becoming convinced that the western world is too civilized to live. A large sized dose of good old fashioned barbarism would serve us very well right about now.

Absolutely correct. There's a reason rapists used to be executed. We need a constitutional ammendment (overriding several Supreme Court decisions) to allow executions for crimes other than capital murder.

[Paleo Conservative]

Critters like that belong in the ground.

I wouldn't desecrate any piece of the Earth with the remains of such scum. Their carcases should be fed to zoo animals.