Two 10-year-old girls at sleepover fight off naked man who allegedly broke in and assaulted them
A suspect was arrested three days after the incident.
Two 10-year-old girls in California were forced to fight off a naked intruder who allegedly broke into the bedroom where they were sleeping and assaulted them.
Police in Clovis, California said they received a 911 call after midnight on May 12 alerting them that the suspect had forced his way into the bedroom through a window. The girls “awoke to the man touching them inappropriately and fought him off” before he left through the window, after which the girls told the adults in the home what happened, according to the Clovis Police Department.
Police said they used a California Highway Patrol airplane to help locate the suspect and spoke with several witnesses during their investigation.
Timothy Picard, 26, was arrested on May 15 after the investigation and faces charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14, first degree burglary, and violating his existing probation, according to police.
“This type of case is just so rare to see happen, but at the same time, it’s just amazing to think that there’s actually people out there that we have to worry about breaking into the homes and assaulting 10-year-old girls,” Clovis Police Chief Matt Basgall said at a news conference Thursday.
Basgall said Picard had been arrested previously for stalking and burglary, and was on probation for a 2017 stalking arrest.
“The fact that this guy is on probation for doing something similar kind of makes your blood boil as both a parent and in law enforcement,” Basgall said. “It’s sad to see, and at some point we have to figure out a way to not let people like this out on the streets.”
Picard was familiar with the area where the incident occurred, according to Basgall, but did not know the girls.
Basgall also said officials do not know if Picard was under the influence when he broke into the home because he was arrested three days after it happened.
It was not clear whether Picard has retained an attorney. Efforts to reach family members of his or someone who could speak on his behalf were not immediately successful.
Police commended the girls, who Basgall said were two friends having a sleepover, for “their bravery and quick action in fighting off the attacker.”
“These two little girls are heroes. They did everything right,” Basgall said.
