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NYC woman raped and beaten INSIDE church by homeless man, saved by priest who heard her screams

A woman from Manhattan, NYC, claimed that she was saved by a 'hero' priest after being allegedly beaten and raped inside a Church by a homeless man
UPDATED MAR 14, 2022
A woman from Manhattan claimed that she was saved by a 'hero' priest, Rev. Gilberto Angel-Neri of Hamilton Heights Catholic Church after being allegedly beaten and raped inside a Church by a homeless man (Photo by Wikipedia & lourdesnyc.org)
A woman from Manhattan claimed that she was saved by a 'hero' priest, Rev. Gilberto Angel-Neri of Hamilton Heights Catholic Church after being allegedly beaten and raped inside a Church by a homeless man (Photo by Wikipedia & lourdesnyc.org)

A woman from Manhattan, New York recently revealed that she was saved by a 'hero' priest after being allegedly beaten and raped inside a Church by a homeless man. Craig Ellis, 55, brutally assaulted the 68-year-old lady known only as Jane Doe on January 30, 2019, inside the Hamilton Heights Catholic Church in Manhattan.

The elderly victim went to the house of worship when she spotted peculiar activity inside, according to a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court. After entering the premises, she was allegedly jumped by her assailant, who then carried out a series of horrible assaults. Mr Ellis covered her mouth and took her to the bathroom before locking the two of them inside the church, according to the lawsuit. He then began beating her with his fist and slamming her against the wall. According to the lawsuit, shortly thereafter, the perpetrator ripped off [her] clothes and raped her

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When Rev Gilberto Angel-Neri entered the church about 10 pm, the horror onslaught came to an end. As Mr Ellis departed the scene, the lady reportedly yelled for help, alerting the local priest to her plight. The guy was apprehended by detectives a few hours later, carrying the victim's jacket and mobile phone. According to the New York Post, he was charged with assault, attempted sexual assault, and theft and is being held in police custody on a $100,000 bond.

The lawsuit came after rapes and other violent crimes in the city continue to go up this year. Although the number of murders has remained roughly constant this year, with 67 compared to 66 last year, assaults have increased by more than 19 percent, from 3,210 to 3,824, Daily Mail reports. When compared to the same period last year, the number of shooting victims has increased by more than 18%, to 215 instances, while the number of rapes has increased by more than 31%, to 293 cases. Robberies have seen the biggest increase so far this year, up roughly 45 percent compared to the same period in 2021. 

The suspect has also had many psychological tests, according to the NY Post, who has been detained 30 times previously. Mr Ellis was known to the church members and staff to be a danger to the community, Ms Doe alleged in her complaint against 'Our Lady of Lourdes Church' and the 'New York Archdiocese'. Officials failed to take reasonable security measures, she noted.

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