An 8-year-old girl in Colorado fought off an intruder wearing a clown mask who attempted to kidnap her during a violent break-in at her family’s home. The suspect, Thomas Gallegos, was arrested on suspicion of attempted kidnapping, assault, child abuse, and burglary. Gallegos had recently helped the family install a washer and dryer. The incident occurred at 2:30 a.m. on October 15, when Gallegos allegedly entered the girl’s room, blindfolded her, and struck her in the head, rendering her unconscious. The girl regained consciousness and alerted her mother. She suffered a contusion to her eye and laceration to the back of her head, requiring staples. A clown mask and gloves were found in her room, and Gallegos was identified as a suspect through surveillance video and location data on the girl’s phone. Gallegos denied the allegations in an interview with police, but his wife confirmed his presence near the victim’s home at the time of the break-in. Gallegos’ wife stated that the clown mask found belonged to their grandson. It is unclear if Gallegos has legal representation. The incident shocked the community and raised concerns about home security and the safety of children.
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Police in Colorado report that an 8-year-old girl bravely defends herself against a kidnapper disguised in a clown mask
