'He deserves some justice:' Mother of Sanford teen wants answers after sexual assault
UPDATE: Sanford police say reported sexual assault on trail system did not happen
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SANFORD (WGME) – Sanford police say a teenager was sexually assaulted on a public trail near the middle school in broad daylight.
Cortney Baker says her son likes to work out at the YMCA near his school.
She says he uses the trails to get there and walks around on them afterwards, too.
“So he came home that night, and we knew something was off about him,” Baker said.
That was Tuesday.
On Wednesday, she says she got a call from his school. Officials needed to talk to her.
“That afternoon is when the bomb came,” Baker said.
Police say the middle school resource officer took the report.
The 13-year-old victim said he encountered two people on the trails who assaulted him.
“It's not his fault,” Baker said.
The district says they've been working closely with the police department and safety is a top priority.
Superintendent Matt Nelson says he's not aware of any previous issues on the public trail system.
“I've grown up here. My parents grew up here. We've all been raised in this community. It's always been everyone knows everyone,” Baker said. “So this is very disheartening.”
Authorities were not available to answer questions about the investigation or confirm details about any suspects.
“We don't want it to be a witch hunt, but we want to get to the bottom of this," Baker said. “What happened to him was unfathomable and he deserves some justice.”
The Sanford Police Department is encouraging anyone who uses the trail system to be aware of their surroundings, walk in pairs and report any suspicious behavior. The police department will have an increased presence around the area.
