DORCHESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - Three educators came to a young girl’s rescue in Dorchester on Monday after investigators say a man hit her with a pipe and tried to sexually assault her.
The girl was standing near a fence outside the Epiphany School on Sharp Street when police say 29-year-old Naeem Patrick approached her, hit her over the head with the pipe, and tried to rape her.
“My teachers heard screams from outside the school and three of them responded to find out what going on,” the school’s co-founder John Finley recalled.
The three teachers arrived just in time to scare Patrick off.
The alarming attack took place near Andrew Saxe’s home.
“It’s 1:30 p.m. on a beautiful afternoon with plenty of people around,” he said. “So, I don’t … it’s just very strange and disturbing as you can imagine.”
Police arrested Patrick a short time later and say he has a lengthy criminal history.
During his arraignment on Tuesday, he hid his face as a forensic psychologist declared him schizophrenic. They say he refused to speak to his lawyer, which put his arraignment on pause.
“Your honor based on his history, as well as the current charges, it’s my opinion that he would be appropriately hospitalized at Bridgewater within the strict security at Bridgewater State Hospital,” she said
Those around at the time of the attack say they are grateful the teachers stepped in.
“They know how to do the right thing when things are required and I think we all, not just my teachers but everyone in this neighborhood is very proud of this neighborhood,” Finley said.
Patrick will undergo a 20-day psychiatric evaluation. He is due back in court on Nov. 29.
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