Two New York men are in police custody, accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a teen they picked up in New London and took to a hotel in Groton.
Two New York men are behind bars, accused of abducting and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.
A teenage girl was walking alone near the Bernie Dover Middle School in New London when two men grabbed her and forced her into a car Sunday evening, Groton police said. She told police she was held her down in the car as she begged to be let her go, and driven to the Windsor Motel in Groton.
Court papers show that the teen, fearing for her life, did not struggle when the men forced the girl to smoke marijuana and then sexually assault her until she pretended to fall asleep.
She told police she ran to a nearby hotel for help when she heard the men leave the motel room just after 11 p.m.
Early Monday morning, Groton Town Police arrested Erik Heyward, 21, of Hollis, N.Y., and Christopher Brown, 21, of Far Rockaway, N.Y. as they returned to the room where the alleged assault took place. The room was registered in Heyward's name, police said.
Both men admitted to picking the girl up in New London and "chilling" with her in the motel room, but denied any sexual contact or giving her drugs, police said. Neither of the men could define "chilling," police said.
Heyward and Brown, who both have ties to the Groton area, were charged with kidnapping, sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor. They are each being held on $300,000 bond and are due back in court on Jan. 13.
