Man charged with attempted murder, sexual assault of girl, 11

After coming home from the bar with a woman earlier this year, Jose Santoyo got into bed with the woman’s 11-year-old daughter, where he choked the girl, threatened her life and sexually assaulted her, according to Cook County prosecutors.

Santoyo was denied bail when he appeared for a hearing Friday on charges of attempted murder and predatory criminal sexual assault in connection with the assault, which occurred early April 25 at the girl’s home, prosecutors said.

Judge John F. Lyke Jr. said he would have to be “nuts” to grant Santoyo bond in light of the accusations and evidence against him.

According to prosecutors, Santoyo, 36, met the girl’s mother the night before at a bar and accompanied her and another witness to the woman’s home. At some point early the next morning, the girl awoke as Santoyo got into bed with her, covered her mouth with his hand and began sexually assaulting her, prosecutors said.

During the assault, he covered her mouth and nose so should couldn’t breath, choked her and threatened to kill her to keep her from screaming, prosecutors said.

Santoyo left the home before the girl’s mother woke up and the girl told her mother about the attack later that morning and was taken to a hospital, where she was treated for multiple injuries, including a tooth that was knocked out during the attack, prosecutors said.

DNA found on the girl’s body matched Santoyo, and he was identified in a photo array by the girl’s mother as the man she brought home from the bar, prosecutors said.

He was taken into custody Thursday when he was located in south suburban Blue Island by a U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force team, Chicago police records show. During his arrest, he tried to avoid being handcuffed and also was charged with resisting arrest.

Santoyo was additionally found wanted on two other warrants charging him with DUI and eluding police in separate cases, prosecutors said, adding that he also had four prior felony convictions, though all were for nonviolent crimes.

An assistant public defender for Santoyo said he was most recently working in roofing construction and was a high school graduate.

Judge Lyke noted that Cook County’s pretrial services division, which advises the court on the likelihood that a defendant will appear at subsequent hearings and won’t commit a new crime while on bond, had given Santoyo the “worst” rating possible.

“This little girl was in the safety of her own home” when Santoyo allegedly “viciously attacked her,” Lyke said.

“I’d have to be absolutely nuts to give him bond,” the judge added.

Santoyo is scheduled to appear in court again on Dec. 13.