Police: Man kidnapped, raped girl, 7, he lured into Northview Heights basement

A man is accused of luring a 7-year-old girl into a basement and raping her in the Northview Heights section of Pittsburgh, court records show.

Juwann Mitchell, 22, no address listed, faces charges of kidnapping, rape and several other felony counts in connection to the Sept. 15 assault of the young child, a criminal complaint.

Police responded to the report of sexual assault involving a minor near Hazlett Street, the complaint said.

Officers interviewed several people in the area, including the girl who was assaulted.

Officers identified the suspect, Mitchell, using video surveillance. The officers knew what he looked like because they had “dealt with Juwan Mitchell numerous times and were able to positively ID him,” the complaint said.

Prior to the alleged assault, Mitchell was awaiting a non-jury trial scheduled for Oct. 21 for a misdemeanor charge of making terroristic threats with the intent to terrorize another, court records show. That prior charge stemmed from an arrest on Aug. 28, 2018. Further information about that incident last year was not immediately available.

The girl participated in a more detailed interview at the Child Advocacy Center recently, the complaint said.

Based on that interview and other evidence, officials described the incident as follows:

Mitchell is accused of approaching the girl while she was outside her grandmother’s house. He told the girl that he was her “uncle” and asked if she wanted to go to the store with him.

Believing she was going to the store, the girl began walking with Mitchell.

Mitchell instead led her into the basement bathroom of a nearby residence, locked the door and sexually assaulted her, police alleged in the complaint.

Mitchell was charged with kidnapping, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, interference with the custody of children, indecent assault, indecent exposure and corruption of a minor.