COLUMBUS, Ohio - A Columbus man is accused of raping a 12-year-old girl on the city's west side.
Izell Brown Jr., 33, is in jail and facing rape charges after he was accused of taking a 12-year-old from an alley at Broad Street and Hague Avenue March 4th.
Investigators said the girl reported to Nationwide Children's Hospital that she was taken in a car to another location, shown a gun and was told that she'd be killed if she didn't comply.
Court documents show that Brown, is accused of raping the 12-year-old, then driving her back to the location and dropping her off.
According to records, the girl was able to pick Brown from a police lineup, and he was arrested.
Brown will be in court Tuesday morning for an arraignment.
Monday, some in that area had plenty to say on what is alleged to have happened, including a pastor from a nearby church.
“Total and overwhelming grief for that child, it is just unthinkable any human being hurting a child, any child,” Pastor Tom Phillips of St. John Lutheran Church said.
Phillips has been with the church for 29 years, and says that area near Broad and Hague has had problems in the past, and he often worries as he sees young people choose alleys instead of streets.
“I see groups of children walking, think it is best if they are in groups, and not by themselves, here it is away from the main street,” Phillips said.
Parents we talked with today say they can't believe the news that a 12-year-old would be the target of such a serious crime.
“Troubling, can't trust anyone, have to keep it tight, close eye on your kids,” T.J. Fox said.
Fox is helping to raise six kids in that neighborhood, and says he won't even let his teenaged daughter walk four blocks to school.
“You don't know who is out there, who is in the alleys, been out there a couple of days watching, finding your schedule, when does that little girl leave,” Fox said.
Columbus Man Accused Of Raping 12-Year-Old Girl - NBC4i: Columbus, Ohio News, Weather and Sports (WCMH-TV)