Ypsilanti mother warns parents to be vigilant after home invasion

Home invader attempted to assault her son, mother says

YPSILANTI, Mich. – A child was assaulted during a home invasion Thursday in Ypsilanti.

It was 3 a.m. when Ann Donnelly’s son woke up to find a man in his bedroom.

Donnelly said the man told her son to be quiet and pinned him to the bed. Luckily, he was able to get away from the intruder.

“My child ran into my arms and I looked over the child’s shoulder and saw the intruder standing in my hallway, like three feet away, looked me dead in the eye,” Donnelly said. “He smirked at me and then walked -- did not run -- down the stairs and out of my house.”

Donnelly filed a police report and through a forensic sketch, the man was arrested within 36 hours.

The suspect was faced with two charges, but the judge dropped the more serious charge, which left his bail at $5,000.

“The intruder was released within two hours to return to his home,” Donnelly said. “I can see it from where I’m standing.”

Donnelly describes her neighbor as a white man in his mid 30s. She’s speaking up to keep others on guard.

“If I didn’t share with other parents and vulnerable people that a sexual predator has been identified, arrested and released back into the community?” Donnelly said. “I’m not scared of this man. I’m not afraid of him but the thought of someone hurting my child goes straight into my core.”

Donnely said her son who was assaulted is doing OK and at this point, she said all she can do is try to keep her family and her neighbors informed.


About the Authors:

You can watch Kim on the morning newscast weekdays from 4:30 to 7 a.m., and frequently doing reports on the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts.

Dane is a producer and media enthusiast. He previously worked freelance video production and writing jobs in Michigan, Georgia and Massachusetts. Dane graduated from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.