Avery Cormier: Brave Massachusetts girl, 14, scares off home intruder using knives
A fearless 14-year-old girl scared away an intruder who broke into her Massachusetts home while she was alone with her 12-year-old sister. According to authorities, Avery Cormier was awakened by the sound of a guy breaking into her Middleborough house at 7:20 a.m. on Friday, April 15.
Joseph Ridge, 58, of Bourne, was attempting to break into the house when Avery confronted him with two steak knives. Ridge, whom the police characterize as a "career criminal," was out on bond and fled the house, according to cops. Avery followed him outside and recorded a video of his 2010 Chevy Silverado speeding away. “I got him out of the house. I scared him," Avery said in the tape provided by authorities. The terrified teen informed a 911 operator while sobbing, "I took a video of his truck leaving so I have his license plate number.”
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AUDIO: Courageous Teen’s Actions, 911 Call to Middleborough Police Leads to Arrest of Break-In Suspecthttps://t.co/wCcxwTeKbI
— Middleborough Police (@MiddleboroughPD) April 15, 2022
Avery urged the dispatcher to let her off the line “so she can call her parents really fast,” but he persuaded her to stay on. She told the operator, “I’m just really scared.” Ridge was apprehended by Massachusetts State Police with Avery's assistance and detained at the Middleborough Police Department a short time later. According to officers, he was charged with aggravated daytime breaking and entering, trespassing, and disorderly behavior.
The honors student has been praised on Twitter for her bravery and for keeping calm throughout the incident.
14 y/o Avery Cormier says it was adrenaline that got her to grab a pair of steak knives and scare off a home invader this morning in Middleboro.
— Sera Congi (@seracongi) April 15, 2022
This honors student, who want to be a doctor someday, is being praised for her bravery. #wcvb pic.twitter.com/sZMb6zv4j4
“I would like to commend the courageous actions of this girl. Even in the midst of an extremely scary event, her bravery assisted us in identifying the man believed to be responsible for breaking into her home,” Middleborough Chief Joseph Perkins said in a statement.
“The suspect, in this case, is a career criminal who was arrested after terrorizing a 14-year-old girl in her own home. Hopefully his arrest this time will bring this known felon to account for his crimes,” Perkins said.
