Girl raped on the way to school bus stop

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A 14-year-old girl was abducted and raped Wednesday morning while she was on her way to a school bus stop in Fort Wayne.

"She was enroute to the intersection [of Oxford Street and Gaywood Drive, where the school bus stop is] when she was forced into a vehicle. She was raped and later released at a second location," said Raquel Foster, a spokesperson for the Fort Wayne Police Department. 

Police said it happened between 7:15 a.m. and 7:25 a.m. Wednesday. They aren't saying exactly where she was taken or where she was released because that's part of the investigation.

Thursday evening the girl's mother told NewsChannel 15 that her daughter is doing okay and she hopes police find the suspect soon.

The only description police have released so far is that they are looking for a black male and a four-door, older maroon passenger car.

"There's a lot of people out at that time in the morning and someone may have seen something. We encourage them to contact us with any information," Foster said.

Authorities are confident the girl did not make the story up because the injuries she sustained are consistent with those inflicted during sexual assaults. Police added they don't think the girl was also beaten up or that a weapon was used in the abduction.

A man who lives a few doors down from the bus stop said most of the people who live on the block have been there for a long time. He added they all often watch out for the kids in the area and that it's devastating to hear a predator was in the area.

"It really is shocking because we do know each other around here and to have something like that happen is very disturbing," May Odom, who lives on the corner near the bus stop, said.

Odom's teenage granddaughter often goes to school from her house.

"I'm going to be taking her to the bus stop from now on myself. She will not be going by herself anymore. This is too close for comfort," Odom said.

Foster added that children should never walk alone.

"If they can't be with a parent or guardian or an adult, they should at least be with another friend," Foster said.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Fort Wayne Police Department’s Investigative Division at (260) 427-1201 or Crime Stoppers at (260) 436-7867.

"We cannot do this alone. We are much stronger when neighbors or anyone with information can help us. We want to bring the suspect forward and keep our children safe," Foster said.