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'I'm afraid for her:' 911 call released in Casselberry rape, kidnapping

Victim calls for help while being forced to withdraw money from ATM

CASSELBERRY, Fla. – A kidnapping victim was terrified, begging for her friend's safety when she called 911 from a Publix in Maitland where an attacker forced her to withdraw money from an ATM.

Casselberry Police Department officials released the victim's 911 call Tuesday afternoon, days after they say she and her friend were held at knifepoint during a home invasion at Stonecastle Apartments, one of the women was raped then both were told to get in the victim's 2006 Toyota Matrix and drive to the grocery store to withdraw money from an ATM on Saturday.

The man -- who has not been identified -- told one of the women to go to the ATM while he stayed with the other victim outside the vehicle, which was parked behind the Publix, according to police. The woman who was sent to the ATM was able to flag down an employee for help.

The woman's voice is audibly shaking as she tries to describe what happened.

"He's got a knife to my friend somewhere, I can't see. He sent me in to get money," the victim told the operator.

She said she does not know the man who forced his way inside her apartment. Witnesses described him as possibly homeless with light-colored, curly, shoulder-length hair with some facial hair, an average build and between 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall.

The woman stressed that her friend was still with the man and she was afraid for her safety because he had a pocket knife and a crowbar.

"But I'm afraid that if they hear sirens or cars that he's gonna make her get in the car and leave without me and I'm afraid for her," the victim said.

The call ends when both victims are with police. By that point, authorities said, the man had taken the keys from one of the victim's and fled in her Toyota Matrix. That vehicle was found abandoned in a parking lot in Maitland Tuesday morning.

Police on Tuesday also released a call a witness at Stonecastle Apartments made before the attack. That witness said he saw the man acting suspiciously, as if he were stalking someone.

"He was hiding in someone's doorway and then he saw them coming he basically, like, ran away and was, like, looking for people's doors that were open and stuff," the witness said.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the Casselberry Police Department at 800-423-TIPS (8477).


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