An Arizona teen was home alone when a man broke into his apartment and got in his bed.
According to Arizona’s Family, the 13-year-old told police that he was making pizza around 7 p.m. on December 2 and when he’d returned to his room found a man in his bed masturbating.
He responded by punching intruder, Andre Marc Sutherland, 27, in the face.
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After a tussle, Sutherland left the scene. The boy locked himself in the bathroom before contacting the police and his father, who was at work during the incident.
His father, who declined to be identified, said:
“As soon as he said it, I kinda didn’t believe it. He said, ‘Oh, there was a break in and he tried to choke me’ was all he said. ‘I’m locking myself in the bathroom.’”
The teen gave a description of his intruder to police and they found him not far from the apartment complex.
Sutherland admitted to police that he was high on meth when he entered the apartment through an unlocked sliding glass door.
Sutherland told officers he’d been using meth for the past month. He says he needed somewhere to sleep and the apartment looked “haunted and abandoned.”
Further, he told officers that he was fondling himself in order to “draw the spirits in.”
Sutherland, who believed he was having a “telepathic conversation” with the teen, says he was shocked when he was punched in the face.
As Arizona’s Family reports, the teen’s father was impressed with how his son had handled the situation.
He said:
“I don’t think anybody could have done any better than what he’s done. He reacted perfectly in a situation where you couldn’t really tell what way it was going to go.”
According to home security provider SimpliSafe, if you are in a similar situation, you should immediately try to leave your home or lock yourself in a safe place and contact the police.
As recommended by SimpliSafe, the boy’s father said he’d discussed emergency plans with his son, “but nothing that can really prepare you for this kind of situation.”
Sutherland remains in police custody and faces charges of burglary, public sexual indecency, and aggravated assault.