ANN ARBOR, Mich. – There’s new information about a violent crime that happened last fall across the street from Michigan Stadium.
Ann Arbor police say two young men from Detroit who were selling candy outside a Michigan football game sexually assaulted a woman at a popular tailgating spot.
Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan pride themselves on one of the best and most secure college football game environments in all of college football.
But last November, a woman left the Big House at halftime to retrieve something from her car, which was parked at the Ann Arbor Golf and Outing Club, and wound up brutally raped and robbed.
The 37-year-old woman from Ohio left her jacket in the golf course parking lot, and while there were some tailgaters around, none were close enough to offer any protection or help.
While in her vehicle, two men approached her seemingly out of nowhere and brutalized her, says Ann Arbor police Ltd. Bonnie Thiel.
“That included forcefully removing her clothing, and at one point, one of the suspects actually strangled her, resulting in some momentary loss of consciousness,” said Theil.
Later that night, Ann Arbor police arrested 19-year-old Jarrell Childs of Detroit, who went before a magistrate on Friday (April 12). He was charged with first-degree sexual assault, robbery and larceny.
Arrested with Childs was a 13-year-old from Detroit who went before a juvenile court judge on Friday to face the same charges.
Ann Arbor Police Department, with the help of the Detroit Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit, used DNA to identify both Childs and the teen in the case, which is why it took so long to get the cases to court.
“In my 24 years here, we’ve never had an incident of this nature with this type of violence in a public space at any U of M sporting event, so this is very concerning,” Theil said.
The magistrate called Childs a danger to the community, setting a cash bond at $75,000. If convicted, he could face 10 years or more in prison.
The 13-year-old is in juvenile court and has had his arraignment on Friday. His records are sealed, but like Childs, the teen will face the same charges.
What led officials to make the arrests months later was the teen used one of the stolen credit cards at a party store.
Officials say surveillance footage identified the teen, who later told on the 18-year-old.