A 56-year-old man in Colorado has been accused of trying to kidnap an eight-year-old girl from her bedroom while wearing a clown mask, according to authorities.
Sterling, Colorado police announced in a recent press release that they charged Thomas Gallegos with first-degree robbery, second-degree assault, second-degree attempted kidnapping, third-degree assault and child abuse after he allegedly broke into the girl's house and tried to kidnap her. his.
On Oct. 15, police responded to a report at 2:30 a.m. of a home invasion and attempted child abduction in the 300 block of Walnut Road, Sterling police said. The suspect likely entered and exited the home through the back door, which may have been open, according to an arrest affidavit reviewed by 9 Information.
The girl told police that the suspect entered her room, blindfolded her and pulled her out of bed, 9 Information reports. When the girl woke up, she fought back. Gallegos then allegedly hit her in the head, rendering her unconscious as he fled the scene. The girl then regained consciousness and ran to her mother's room to alert her about the attempted kidnapping.
The girl had a contusion to her right eye and a laceration to the back of her head that required staples, 9 Information reports. A clown mask and a pair of gloves were also found in his bedroom.
Police were able to identify Gallegos through security video and location data from the girl's phone he took, according to the affidavit. He added that the girl's mother told police that Gallegos lived in the neighborhood and had helped install a washer and dryer in her home the previous weekend.
In an interview with police, Gallegos' wife confirmed that it was her husband who appeared in the security video recorded near the girl's home at the time of the reported robbery, 9 Information reports. Gallegos' wife said the mask belonged to her grandson, according to the arrest affidavit.
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Following Gallegos' arrest, Sterling Police said: “The Sterling Police Department would like to thank the community for their help in taking a dangerous predator off the streets. “There are no other suspects associated with this crime nor any ongoing threat to the community.”
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