Cops: Girl, 13, assaults elderly crossing guard, police

A 13-year-old girl allegedly assaulted a 76-year-old crossing guard in Drexel Hill yesterday afternoon and when police responded to the scene, she fought with them too, said Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood.

The crossing guard, who has helped students from Garrettford Elementary School for the last 13 years, had just left her post at Edmunds Avenue and McCoy Street shortly after 3 p.m., when she felt something in her back and heard someone say, "Get out of my way or I'll kill you."

When she turned around, the woman saw what she believed to be a young man, but was actually a 13-year-old girl dressed as a boy, Chitwood said. She again threatened the crossing guard, this time by saying, "I'm going to shoot you."

"Now, she's scared to death," Chitwood said of the victim.

A 22-year-old man who lives in the neighborhood saw what was going on and stepped in between the child and the elderly woman, according to police. That gave the victim an opportunity to dial 911.

When police arrived on scene, the young assailant "took a fighting stance with them" and struggled with officers who tried to arrest her, Chitwood said. She was taken in to custody and was not found to be in possession of a gun, Chitwood said. Police believe the object she put in the victim's back was a pen.

Once at the station, the girl was placed in a containment room, where she spit on officers who came near her, police said. She was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and related offenses.

She was sent to the Delaware County juvenile detention center in Lima, police said. The school crossing guard returned to work today, Chitwood said.