😡 GIRL SEXUALLY ASSAULTED WHILE WALKING TO CHICAGO SCHOOL, POLICE SAY

CHICAGO — This is the kind of story that makes you angry before you even finish reading the first sentence.

Chicago police are searching for a teenage boy after a girl was sexually assaulted Wednesday morning while walking to Fort Dearborn Elementary School in the Brainerd neighborhood on Chicago's Far South Side.

Police say the girl was walking in the 1300 block of West 91st Street around 7:50 a.m. when a boy she didn't know approached her and began asking her questions.

According to police, he then forced the girl into an alley and sexually assaulted her.

At 7:50 in the morning.

While this child was simply trying to GO TO SCHOOL.

That's what makes this especially disturbing.

A child should be worried about whether she remembered her homework, what they're serving for lunch or whether she's going to be late for class.

She should NOT have to worry about being attacked on her way there.

🚨 POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A TEENAGE BOY

Chicago police describe the suspect as approximately 13 to 14 years old and between 5-foot-3 and 5-foot-4.

Police say he had dreadlocks with orange tips.

He was last seen wearing a black jacket or black long-sleeve shirt with white writing and gray pants or sweatpants.

Investigators also say he was carrying a clear school bookbag.

And that detail makes this story even more unsettling.

Police aren't describing some grown man lurking around the neighborhood.

They're looking for another young person.

😡 PARENTS, TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN

Not because children should have to live frightened of everybody they encounter.

But because they need to know they do NOT owe strangers conversation, information or politeness when something doesn't feel right.

If somebody approaches them and starts asking questions that make them uncomfortable, they need to know it's okay to keep walking, get around other people, make noise, run into a business or call for help.

And parents, guardians and neighbors around school routes need to pay attention too.

That child was attacked during the morning school commute.

There were children heading to school.

Parents heading to work.

People starting their day.

Somebody may have seen something without realizing how important it was.

🚔 POLICE NEED INFORMATION

As of Thursday, police had not announced an arrest.

Anyone who recognizes the description or has information about what happened is being asked to contact Chicago police detectives at:

312-492-3810

And please don't turn social media into a courtroom.

Police are looking for a juvenile suspect. If you think you know who he is, give that information to investigators instead of posting the name or photograph of some random child online.

Let police investigate.

❤️ AND MOST IMPORTANTLY...

Our thoughts are with this young girl.

Her identity should remain protected, and she deserves the opportunity to heal without becoming social-media content.

But what happened to her absolutely deserves our attention.

Because children should be able to walk to school safely.

Period.

Not sometimes.

Not depending on the neighborhood.

Not only when an adult happens to be watching.

EVERY CHILD. EVERY SCHOOL. EVERY MORNING.

Chicago police are still searching for the teenager they say is responsible.

If you know something, say something.

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