Police: Girl, 4, sexually assaulted in Delaware abduction

Wilmington, Del. (WTXF) - Police say a girl was snatched from the street while playing in her own neighborhood. The 4-year-old girl was gone for two heart-wrenching hours before being found nearly naked in a nearby park.

It happened in the blink of an eye in Wilmington, Delaware on a dead end street.

Megan Gardner remembers the chilling moment when a 4-year-old girl, who was playing with her child and some neighborhood friends, was abducted along the 4800 block of Sugar Plumb Court in Plum Run Village, a section New Castle County Delaware.

"I called right away, just hearing the screams of those little kids. I called 911 right way, when it happened."

The abduction happened Thursday night, and today police confirmed the little girl was also the victim of sexual assault.

"Oh it was horrendous,” Gardner told Fox 29. “Not playing screams like the usual screams I would hear from the little ones, but they were just screaming with fear."

New Castle County Police officers swarmed the neighborhood after the 911 call was made. The FBI and state AG also jumped in.

Investigators say a White or Hispanic man with dark hair driving a dark sedan with tinted windows made small talk with the girl, forced her into the car and took off.

Police say the girl was spotted two hours later by a passerby while walking in the area of Banning Park about 20 minutes away.

Left with little clothing on, she was rushed to a hospital and underwent an evaluation when it was determined she was sexually assaulted.

"Every member of New Castle County Police Department is committed, regardless of their assignment, to solving and apprehending this heartless monster,” police said. “It's the only word I can think of—monster—who committed this act."

Police are continuing to search for a suspect, citing this incident as the New Castle County Police's number one priority.

Police are asking anyone with surveillance video in the areas of Village of Plum Run or Banning Park to please contact New Castle County Police at (302) 573-2800.

Anyone with information on this incident can contact New Castle County Police at (302) 573-2800. Citizens can also submit a tip via our website at http://www.nccpd.com. Tipsters may also call Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333 or visit us on Facebook at New Castle County Police Department. Citizens who currently have the smartphone application are encouraged to use the "submit tip" tab to submit tips. Select a topic by using the "drop down" and complete the tip by "clicking" submit. The New Castle County Police Smartphone Application is free to download and available for all iPhone and Android smartphones.