(WXYZ) — The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office says they have a 13-year-old suspect in custody related to the string of home invasion incidents involving young girls.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said they believe the suspect is responsible for up to 11 home invasions in Pontiac and Detroit. They say they have linked him to 9 completed or attempted home invasions dating back to 2022 that were unreported.
“The is the worst nightmare for any parent,” said Sheriff Bouchard.
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Officials say the first incident might have occurred a few years ago. But it wasn’t until recently that they started seeing a pattern with other home invasion incidents in the area. They also praised the community for their help in this investigation.
Bouchard said the suspect's parent was cooperative with detectives and brought their son in for his arrest. He is currently in Oakland County's Children's Village while the Prosecutor's Office weighs possible charges.
The most recent incident occurred this week, on February 4. In that incident, the suspect, wearing a ski mask and armed with a knife, entered a home in the 100 block of N. Anderson Street.
While inside, the suspect reportedly choked a young girl as she was sleeping. Officials say the girl screamed, and the suspect took off. The girl’s mother reported seeing the suspect, wearing all black, running down the stairs and out of the home.
The girl was not injured.
Officials believe, in that case, that the suspect entered the home through an unlocked kitchen window.
The sheriff’s office says the suspect was carrying a knife in three of the Pontiac cases and one in Detroit and got into the homes or attempted to get into the homes through an unlocked window.
