Cat gets credit for Girl's Escape

Lansing State Journal ^ | 3/27/2002 | Adam Emerson

[sockmonkey]

Lansing man arraigned on assault charge

By Adam Emerson
Lansing State Journal

A cat stopped a north-side Lansing man from sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl he snatched from his front lawn, police said Tuesday.

Investigators said Wulfrido Lopez brought the girl inside the home, put duct tape over her mouth and tried to remove her pants just after 6 p.m. Monday. But the girl's cat attacked Lopez, enabling her to break free and escape.

"She was damn lucky she had that cat in her hand," Detective Brian Smitherman said. "This could have turned out really bad."

Lopez, 36, was arraigned on a charge of kidnapping and child enticement, which is punishable by up to life in prison. He also was charged with criminal sexual conduct - assault with the intent to penetrate, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

Lopez, who is from Mexico and doesn't speak English, spoke through an interpreter before Lansing District Judge Beverley Nettles-Nickerson. Lopez asked for a court-appointed attorney. He was jailed late Tuesday on a $300,000 bond.

Police say that Lopez took the girl into his home at 1019 N. Chestnut St., just off Oakland Avenue. The girl lived nearby but didn't know him, Smitherman said.

The girl screamed and yelled at him to let her go, Lt. Steve Mitchell said. Investigators say he tried to put tape over her mouth after she told him that she thought she heard her mother call for her.

He tried to take off her pants, but couldn't, Smitherman said. The cat, which the girl had been holding the entire time, swiped at Lopez's arm, allowing the girl to run.

The Lansing police special tactical team went to the home with a search warrant, and found Lopez hiding in a crawl space in a basement, covered in dirt to conceal himself, Mitchell said.

Contact Adam Emerson at 377-1058 or aemerson@lsj.com.

[sockmonkey]

A true feline friend.

[dighton]

Good kitty!

[RckyRaCoCo]

found Lopez hiding in a crawl space in a basement, covered in dirt to conceal himself

Just add concrete and adios!

[cake_crumb]

Ah. It's a good thing that little girl has a trained attack cat. Attack cats can be extremely vicious, you know.

[Dakmar]

Kitty bump

[Crowcreek]

" found Lopez hiding in a crawl space in a basement, covered in dirt

Sounds like the cat tried to finish the job...

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the ping. Too bad the cat didn't go for the eyes.

[MotleyGirl70]

Kudos Kitty!

[js1138]

I have an attack cat. I didn't volunteer for it. but a friend of my daughter brought it over after it shreaded several of its previous owners. It is finally tame after a year.

[isthisnickcool]

Was that cat semi or full auto? Did she have a carry permit for the cat?

Thank goodness we still have the right to keep and bear cats.

Seriously, thank the Lord he did not harm her as much as he might have. I noticed this: "Lopez, who is from Mexico and doesn't speak English".

Take him back to the Mexican border, cut his privates off, leave him there.

[Cicero]

No fear, he will get a million-dollar trial at the taxpayers' expense, will get a couple of years in jail, and then no doubt will be welcomed to stay in the country and become a citizen. Or, better, he will stay in the country as a non-citizen, which will entitle him to free medical care.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

God bless that cat for not running away in fear!

[Jesse]

Or, better, he will stay in the country as a non-citizen, which will entitle him to free medical care.

Amnesty, remember?

[texasbluebell]

Man's best friend!

[Paradox]

That guy should have known better. I have known cats that could kick a dogs a$$, several times its size.

[Orual]

Don't even think about it.

[Destructor]

That Cat gets a whole can of Tuna Fish!

[hoosierham]

"found Lopez hiding in a crawl space in a basement, covered in dirt"

Solution:Add more dirt.

[okiedust]

"covered in dirt to conceal himself."

Hmmm. Sounds like kitty went in and tried to do what good cats do after they have used the litterbox. Good cat. Arm every child with an attack trained kitty.

regards

[Rebelbase]

"Did she have a carry permit for the cat?

The Cat Carrier requires no permit.