Family of Detroit rape victim: 'We want justice'
Detroit girl died Tuesday of injuries sustained in attack
GeNaye Washington was asleep when a man climbed through her bedroom window, beat her and sexually assaulted her while her mother and siblings were just a few steps away in the home.
Washington, 17, died of her injuries Tuesday, according to her family, who identified her Wednesday to the Free Press as one of four victims who were raped in a string of sexual assaults and home invasions on Detroit’s east side that began last December.
“We hope that justice is served, but it still won’t bring her back,” said Shaquetta Washington, GeNaye’s older sister. “It just hurts. She (my mother) just wants to know why did he do it? What was the point? GeNaye, anybody that met her would fall in love with her. My eyes water every time I talk about this. I am trying to be strong for my mom. I have to keep everyone in place, but it’s really hard.”
Cause of death a mystery, but murder suspected
According to Washington’s family, she was struck in the head multiple times and raped. A Detroit man, Darian Winfield, has been named a person of interest in the homicide, according to Detroit Police. Winfield was charged Sunday in another sexual assault and home invasion case and more charges could be forthcoming in a separate December Grosse Pointe Park attack.
Shaquetta Washington said she doesn’t know Winfield, but said her brother played basketball with him during the summer at a nearby basketball court.
Washington was attacked about 7:30 a.m. Jan. 7 near the 5500 block of Radnor. Her home was broken into and the assailant used some kind of blunt weapon, police said.
“My mom was there, and my baby sister was there and my brother,” Shaquetta Washington recalled. “They said they didn’t hear anything. We think that when she heard him come through the window, she jumped and he hit her before she could even say anything or scream. But we’re not really sure what happened.”
Sgt. Michael Woody told the Free Press Tuesday police are actively investigating Winfield in the teen’s assault and possibly her death, pending further investigation.
“That will be reviewed as soon as we get a report from the Medical Examiner’s Office,” Woody said. “We’ll continue to investigate this case. We will be looking at some other charges. It’s definitely not off the table. Everything is still open.”
Maria Miller, spokeswoman for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, said they have not received anything yet from police. Lloyd Jackson, spokesman for the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office, said an autopsy was scheduled to be performed on Washington’s body Wednesday.
Washington’s family is overwhelmed with grief and struggling to understand the attack, especially her four nephews.
“My oldest child (GeNaye’s nephew) he just completely shut down when I told him,” Shaquetta Washington said. “He’s not talking or anything. The other ones, they’re all 2 and younger. I told my 2-year-old, ‘Your Auntie Naye Naye isn’t coming home anymore’ and he started crying.”
Shaquetta Washington said her sister, who was the third oldest of four siblings, was set to graduate high school later this year.
“She only needed three more credits to graduate and she was so excited about it,” Shaquetta Washington said. “No one has bad memories of her. She was the rainbows and the sunshine of the family. She would sit there and make you laugh, dance for you. For her to be 17, she acted just like a big kid. We were playing UNO the day before she got attacked.”
The family has launched a GoFundMe fund-raiser, R.I.P Our Angel GeNaye, to help cover her funeral expenses. More than $1,500 has been raised so far.
Winfield, who is suspected in her attack, was charged in connection to a Dec. 30 attack with first-degree home invasion, assault with intent to murder and assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct on Sunday. He was arraigned in 34th District Court and bond was set at $1 million cash, Miller said.
Winfield allegedly broke into a house in the 5800 block of Radnor on Dec. 30 and stabbed a 39-year-old Detroit woman with a knife in the chest with the intent of sexually assaulting her, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
He was arrested by Detroit police Friday after he was spotted driving in the 5900 block of Harrell. Police said in a news release that he was taken into custody without incident.
A warrant request was presented to the Prosecutor’s Office Tuesday for Winfield in connection with another incident — a Dec.15 non-fatal knife attack of a woman in Grosse Pointe Park. According to spokeswoman Miller, the warrant has been presented in that case, but charges are not expected this week.
Police announced last Thursday they were searching for a serial rapist who had broken into at least three homes, all within a one-mile radius, before attacking his victims.
All of the attacks happened on Detroit’s east side near the city’s border with Grosse Pointe and began in early December.
Police released a photo of Winfield and said he had become increasingly violent with the attacks and was armed and dangerous.
The first reported attack was Dec. 13, when a victim was raped while walking near Mack and Cadieux. On Dec. 18, a female victim was asleep in her bed in the 5000 block of Haverhill when a suspect entered her home and tried to rape her, police said.
Winfield has not been charged in those crimes.
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