Teens Rewarded For Finding Rape Suspect

PHILADELPHIA - Fighting crime pays as two men who helped capture a rape suspect were rewarded for their efforts Friday.

Community activists are calling the two teenagers "uncommon heroes" because they stepped up when they didn't necessarily have to do so, Fox 29's Julie Kim reported live from the Fraternal Order of Police headquarters in the city's Spring Garden section.

David Vargas and Fernando Genval have been credited with capturing 26-year-old Jose Carasquillo, who is a suspect but not yet charged with an attack on an 11-year-old girl walking to school Monday morning in Kensington.

"We want to present these checks to you and say thank you for stepping up," FOP President John McNesby said Friday as he presented the checks.

The two teens are splitting a total reward of $11,500, which was offered by the FOP and a private business owner.

By Tuesday, police were seeking Carasquillo as a "person of interest" for questioning in connection with the attack that left the 11-year-old needing surgery. Investigators canvassed the neighborhood showing Carasquillo's photo.

Them, on Tuesday afternoon, surveillance video from a business at the corner of Front and Clearfield streets captured Vargas and Genval confronting Carasquillo. One of them is even shown holding a newspaper with a police composite sketch of the attacker next to Carasquillo's face before beating him down and holding him for police.

Carasquillo was initially hospitalized in critical condition, but his condition was upgraded within a day. On Thursday he was escorted out of the hospital and into the custody of the police department's special victims unit. He's being held on a parole violation from a prior drug conviction.

The father of the victim -- who left a hospital Wednesday -- attended Friday's reward presentation.

"Thank you police department, citizens of Philadelphia. Thank you for your effort, your time -- just thank you for caring enough to see justice done," said the father, who Fox 29 News is not identifying to protect his daughter's identity.

Referring to another man who was also beaten by neighbors who thought he resembled the attacker, the victim's father said, "To the family of the gentleman who was brutally beaten and it was a mistaken identity, I'd like to apologize to you and your family."

Vargas and Genval did not say anything as they received their reward checks and left, but they did meet with the FOP president and the rape victim's family behind closed doors.

Again, Carasquillo had yet to be charged Friday afternoon, but police said they have evidence linking him to the rape case.

Meanwhile, police are continuing to investigate the sexual attack as well as a groping reported just outside a Kensington school that same day.