Man Charged in Kidnap and Beating of Utah Girl
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SALT LAKE CITY — A man accused of dragging an 11-year-old girl from her bedroom and pummeling her with a hammer was charged Wednesday with kidnapping, attempted rape and attempted murder.
The girl remained hospitalized in critical condition. Doctors said every bone in the middle of her face had been broken.
“This is probably one of the most egregious, violent felonies against a child,” Salt Lake County Dist. Atty. David Yocom said.
“It’s pretty amazing she has survived.”
Authorities said Javier Sickler, 28, dragged the girl from her bedroom Monday and attempted to rape her in the yard. He then allegedly beat her with a hammer.
Sickler and the girl’s father were high school classmates and had renewed their friendship in the last few weeks, police said.
Sickler was in jail on $1.5-million bail and was to be arraigned today. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney.
Police said Sickler told investigators he suffers from blackouts and doesn’t remember attacking the girl, though he does remember knocking on the door of her home that night.
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