Police said the 15-year-old escaped into an apartment breezeway as neighbors called 911 and officers arrived during the assault.
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — A Gainesville man has been charged after police said he broke through a closet wall from a neighboring apartment and attacked a 15-year-old girl who was inside with two younger family members.
Obed Reyes, 29, was arrested after the incident, which police said happened just before 10 p.m. on Aug. 4 at an apartment complex in the 1000 block of Summit Street SE. Authorities said Reyes faces charges of burglary, aggravated assault, attempted rape, kidnapping and two counts of cruelty to children. The charges are allegations, and they do not establish guilt.
Investigators said the teenager was home with two younger family members, ages 5 and 7, when Reyes allegedly made a hole in the closet wall from an adjoining unit and entered the apartment. Police said Reyes grabbed the girl by the hair and punched her several times after coming through the wall. Authorities have not publicly released the girl’s name because she is a minor.
According to police, the teenager fought back and managed to escape into a breezeway outside the apartment. Investigators said Reyes followed her and continued the assault there. Emergency dispatchers received 911 calls reporting that a man was dragging a teenage girl by her hair and hitting her while she screamed for help, according to police accounts cited by local news outlets.
Officers who responded arrived while the assault was still underway, police said. Authorities said officers separated the girl from Reyes and took him into custody at the scene. Police also alleged that Reyes threatened to rape the teenager during the attack. Officials have not released additional details about what led up to the confrontation or announced a motive.
Police said Reyes lived in the same apartment complex as the victim, but investigators found no indication that the two knew each other before the attack. Authorities also have not publicly explained how long the wall damage may have been underway before Reyes entered the neighboring unit or whether anyone nearby heard it happening.
The presence of the two younger children inside the apartment led to the child-cruelty charges, police said. Available reports did not say the children were physically injured. The teenager’s injuries also have not been described in detail, though Gainesville police said she faces a long recovery after the attack.
Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish praised the people who called 911 during the struggle. In a statement reported by local media, Parrish said the witnesses’ quick response helped officers reach the victim in time to prevent further harm. He also said the community’s willingness to report what it saw made a difference in the case.
Reyes was booked into the Hall County Jail after his arrest. Publicly available reports reviewed Friday did not identify an attorney speaking for him, and no future court date was confirmed in those reports. Police said the investigation remains active, and no additional arrests had been announced as of Friday.
Author note: Last updated August 14, 2026.