Campbell police plan to increase presence

STAFF REPORT

CAMPBELL — The school district continues to offer counseling, and the police are planning to increase their presence after a girl was raped Monday while walking to school.

The 15-year-old, a 10th-grader at Campbell Memorial High School, was abducted at knife-point on Tremble Avenue near 13th Street around 7 a.m. a few streets away from her home. She was taken to an abandoned house on Gordon Avenue, where the rape occurred.

After a daylong investigation, Campbell police arrested Charles E. Hudson, 55, who has no permanent address. He was arrested at 144 Reed Ave., an abandoned house where he stayed, police said.

Schools superintendent Thomas Robey said earlier this week the district offered counseling to the girl, her family and her friends. He said the district is still making counseling available and has extra people available if needed next week.

Robey also said the district is working with police to ensure students’ safety.

He would not discuss what security measures are being taken.

Campbell officer John Gulu said Thursday that there won’t be any additional manpower available during the hours when children are walking back and forth to school, but police will be “making ourselves more visible.”

Hudson, who is in the Mahoning County jail, is charged with rape and kidnapping, and his preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday.