Rape victim's family honors vigilantes

 KENSINGTON. The family of the 11-year-old raped last Monday held a party Saturday at Kensington's McPherson Square Park to honor the vigilantes who caught her suspected attacker, 26-year-old Jose Carrasquillo.

"It's just an incredibly tragic situation," Mayor Michael Nutter told reporters at the party. "Anything we can do to strengthen her spirit, help to speed her physical recovery as well as her psychological and spiritual, I think is a very important thing.

"She's a very strong young lady, but we have to remember she's only 11 years old.

Meanwhile, Carrasquillo still hadn't been charged with the attack as of yesterday, as police awaited the results of DNA tests. Police said they have physical evidence tying him to the rape scene.

Police said the girl's attacker threatened to kill her and also claimed he knew her mother and where she lived.

Police have no indication that the girl knew the rapist, but are still investigating. Surveillance video shows the man walking near her on Kensington Avenue as she dropped her younger sister off at daycare.

"We try to make a value judgment here, [but] you can never cast blame or be so critical because you just don’t know what’s in the child’s mind," said Capt. James Darby of police Special Victims Unit.

The man allegedly threatened to shoot the girl, although he did not have a gun, police said. Jose Carrasquillo in still custody as the lone suspect, although he has not been charged in the rape. Investigators are awaiting results of DNA tests that could link him to the crime, but said they already have physical evidence tying him to the scene.