Man attacks 14-year-old New Haven girl, cuts off her ponytail

Police searching for 3 men involved

NEW HAVEN, Mich. – A 14-year-old New Haven girl was walking on a paved trail Friday when she was grabbed by a man who hit her in the face and cut her hair off with a knife, police say.

The walking trail where the attack happened leads to New Haven Elementary School.

The girl says she was walking at around 3 p.m. when she saw three men standing near a large tree near the end of the trail. She said she put her head down and continued to walk, but as she passed the men one of them yelled at her and then grabbed her by the front of her hooded sweatshirt.

The man hit the girl in the face with his open hand, causing her to fall on the ground. He then pulled out a black-handled, double-edged mechanical knife and cut off her ponytail, the girl says. She was then dragged into a water puddle and released.

The men then ran away from the scene.

The attacker was described as white, 16 to 18 years old and around 5 feet 6 inches tall. He had a dark stubble beard and moustache and was wearing a red hooded sweatshirt with white lettering.

The other two men were described as possibly 20 years old with facial hair and both wearing black hooded sweatshirts. They did not take part in the assault of the girl.

Police say the girl suffered a small cut to the inside of her upper lip that did not require medical attention.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call police at 586-307-9358.