51-year-old woman sexually abused in forest reserve: police

The sexual assault occurred around 6 p.m. Monday on a side street off Cicero Avenue on the edge of the Midlothian Meadows Preserve.

June 25, 2024, 4:55 p.m. CDT | Updated June 25, 2024, 5:51 p.m. CDT

MIDLOTHIAN, IL — Authorities are investigating after a 51-year-old woman was sexually assaulted at a wildlife refuge Monday night, wildlife refuge officials said Tuesday.

The woman was at a bus stop at the corner of 159th Street and Cicero Avenue in Oak Forest around 6 p.m. when she was approached by a man in an SUV who offered her a ride, which she accepted, according to a news release. The driver then turned onto a side street off of Cicero Avenue on the edge of Midlothian Meadows, where he sexually assaulted her in the vehicle, according to the victim.

The suspect is described as a black male, 5’7″ tall and weighing approximately 175 pounds. He is between 45 and 55 years old, wears gold-rimmed glasses, has a goatee, and has a thin, large nose, and drives a white, newer model GMC SUV.

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Forest Preserves of Cook County Detectives are investigating. Anyone with information regarding this person or incident is asked to call Forest at 708-771-1001.

The Forest Preserves Police have increased patrols in Midlothian Meadows and the surrounding area.