Panhandler abducted and raped by man posing as Good Samaritan

DETROIT (WJBK) - A woman who was panhandling Thursday night says she taken to an abandoned house and raped by someone who initially, was offering charity

The woman says she was panhandling here at Eight Mile and I-75, when a man in a silver car pulled up, offering to drive her to a restaurant  and get her some food.

This is the voice of one of the few female panhandlers working on the corners of Eight Mile and I-75. She says fellow panhandlers look out for each other on these corners, saddened to hear what happened overnight to one of their own.

"I'm homeless, my house burned down," she said. "It's a shame, I'm shocked, I am," she said. "Why did she get in the car?"

Detroit police say the 35-year old white female was begging for money late Thursday night when she was approached by an unknown male, taken to an abandoned house and raped for hours.

"This particular predator if you will, sought her out, thinking that nobody would miss her, or nobody cares," said Michael Woody, Detroit police media relations. "I can tell you he's wrong. There are plenty of people that do care including Detroit police."

The woman was then taken to another neighborhood at the intersection of Faust and Acacia, where police say the man let her go.

"She knocked on a door in that neighborhood and fortunately the good citizen inside assisted her by calling 911," Woody said.

The victim is still working with police to describe the suspect. Meanwhile the other panhandlers are on the lookout.

If you have any information that could help this case, call Detroit police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.