Suspect in Massachusetts abduction charged with child rape

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The man charged with kidnapping an 11-year-old girl in Springfield is facing additional charges of child rape, the Hampden County District Attorney says.

Miguel Rodriguez, 24, is being charged with three counts of aggravated rape of a child with force and a single count of indecent assault and battery on a child under age 14.

Already charged with kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon and intimidating a witness, Rodriguez has been held without bail since his last court hearing and has been committed for mental health observation. He will be held at Bridgewater State Hospital for at least 20 days.

Rodriguez is accused of abducting the girl while she had been walking home from school, prompting an Amber Alert.

The girl was recovered by troopers on the Turnpike in Sturbridge after a motorist reported seeing the car she was abducted in, state police spokesman David Procopio said.

Rodriguez allegedly forced the girl into a blue car around 1:30 p.m. after she got off the school bus, near Amherst and Princeton streets in Springfield. Police said the girl appeared unharmed when she was rescued from the car Rodriguez was driving, nearly 6 hours after she was abducted.

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