Details Emerge on Gumbert Sexual Assault

Tuesday evening, Westfield police released additional details about the kidnapping and sexual assault that reportedly took place near Gumbert Park in the early morning hours Monday. 

Police Chief John Parizeau said that a 20-year-old Cranford resident was walking along South Chestnut Street toward North Avenue at 4 a.m. Monday when a white man, whom she described as 35 to 40 years old, started following her on foot. The woman told police that as she approached Gumbert Park, a white minivan pulled up next to her and the man who was following her forced her into the van.

According to the woman's report, the van was driven by a black man who was about 50 years old. He allegedly parked the van. The two men reportedly held her at knifepoint, forcibly tried to remove her clothing and engaged in what Parizeau called "criminal sexual contact."

Parizeau wouldn't elaborate on the details of the assault, but noted that no rape test had been administered. The victim told police that the assailants also stole two credit cards and $450 in cash.

Following the theft, the woman escaped from the minivan, Parizeau said. The two men reportedly sped away in the van after she broke free.

According to Parizeau, the woman immediately called her father from her cell phone. He picked her up and drove her to police headquarters. Parizeau said police officers followed the department's sexual-assault protocols and asked the woman if she'd like to speak to county rape-crisis volunteers. She declined.

On Monday, shortly after news of the incident broke, Westfield Police Captain David Wayman said the woman told them she didn't recognize the assailants. During the press conference Tuesday, Parizeau said that the victim described the van as being manufactured between 2000 and 2005, but said she was unable to identify the make or model of the vehicle. 

Parizeau said he could not remember the last time an assault and sex crime of this level occurred in Westfield. He said that several years ago, a woman coming off a bus near Gumbert Park along North Avenue was robbed and beaten for her purse. Most of the sex crimes reported in recent years, he said, have been cases of date rape. The victims declined to press charges in several of those cases, Parizeau said.

The last kidnapping in town occurred in July 2009, when a group of teenagers, including an honor student, ambushed, tasered, kidnapped and assaulted another teenager in town, with the victim being returned home. The case resulted in several arrests and guilty pleas.

Parizeau said it is likely a coincidence that this case was reported within a month of two child luring cases that were reported in Westfield, one by Wilson School and another by Franklin School. An arrest was made in connection with the report near Wilson.

Stay tuned to Patch as this story develops.