1 in custody after Oak Brook Hyatt House hotel housekeeper sexually assaulted

Jessica D'Onofrio Image
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
1 in custody after Oak Brook Hyatt House hotel housekeeper sexually assaulted
A man is in custody after a police said a housekeeper was sexually assaulted inside a room at an Oak Brook hotel Monday.

OAK BROOK, Ill. (WLS) -- A man is in custody after a police said a housekeeper was sexually assaulted inside a room at an Oak Brook hotel Monday.

Oak Brook police said they are still interviewing people connected to the case at the Hyatt House at 210 W. 22nd St.

Seven different police agencies were involved in the apprehension of the suspect after police received a report of a sexual assault at the hotel shortly before noon.

Officers were told that the suspect may still be armed and in the area. They then went room-by-room searching for the suspect, a 38-year-old man believed to be a relative of a hotel guest, but no one was found.

Guests at the Hyatt House hotel woke up to a commotion in the hallway and outside.

"When he walked out of our room there were officers in the hallway," said Janna Morgan, guest. "They told him to go back in the room."

"I went to the door and I was hearing them go room to room," said Hamza Muhammad, guest.

Police were searching for the suspected sexual assailant, but guests said they didn't know that.

"As soon as I cracked open the door they were like, 'OK sir, you need to move out the way. We need to come into the room,'" Muhammad said.

"They had, like, big rifles and pistols, like, drawn and people know when the guns are drawn they want to use them, so just makes you uncomfortable," said Morgan.

The suspect was ultimately arrested at around 4 p.m. in Chicago, police said. He was transported back to Oak Brook. Charges against the suspect have not yet been filed.

The 20-year-old victim was taken to Elmhurst Hospital for treatment.

Nicole Patterson, the general manager of Hyatt House Chicago/Oak Brook, released a statement saying, "The safety and security of our guests and associates are top priorities at Hyatt House Chicago/Oak Brook. We are deeply concerned about the wellbeing and recovery of our colleague who was affected by this incident, and we are working to make sure appropriate attention and support is provided. The hotel contacted the police via 911 as soon as the incident came to light and is fully cooperating with authorities. Since the matter is being investigated by local police authorities, please direct any additional inquiries regarding this matter to the Oak Brook Village Police Department."