New York woman and child fight off rapist until cops arrive: report

A woman was being raped by a man in New York when a child came into the room to help her out, and the two fought the suspect until cops arrived, police said.

On Jan. 4, officers responded to a home in Utica, New York, and spoke with a woman who stated a man she knew had forced sexual acts with her, the Utica Police Department said.

Police said the man, later identified as 41-year-old Kenneth Ashley, cornered the woman in a bedroom and forced her onto the bed. She tried to fight the man off, but he would not stop.

At one point, Ashley removed her pants and performed oral sex on her, officials said. She began to scream and tried to escape, so Ashley held a pillow over her face in an attempt to suffocate her.

A child heard the screams of the victim, so he came into the room to help. However, Ashley began attacking the child and punched him several times in the face, police said.

The woman retrieved a knife, which she used to cut Ashley, authorities said. Ashley tried to grab the knife from the victim, but this is when police arrived and they stopped the incident.

After an investigation, Ashley was arrested and charged with first-degree rape, first-degree criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child, officials said.