Chicago Man Arrested for Allegedly Groping 9-Year-Old Girl at South Loop Playground
Editor’s Note: This story contains information that some readers may find disturbing.
Chicago police have apprehended Lodell Burnett, a 69-year-old man with a history of preying on minors, for allegedly groping a 9-year-old girl at Jones Park in the South Loop area. Burnett has previous convictions for similar offenses, including a 2022 case involving a 4-year-old and a 1992 incident with a 6-year-old.
The incident took place on June 11 at around 7:30 p.m. when the young girl was sitting on a bench at the park. Burnett, described as a man with gray facial hair, missing teeth, and a bald head, approached her and touched her between her legs over her shorts. The girl’s 6-year-old cousin also reported that he grabbed her foot while she was on a play structure.
After the assault, the girls fled the park, with the 9-year-old running home to inform her mother, who promptly contacted the authorities. Following a community alert with surveillance images of the suspect, patrol officers located Burnett near the Harold Washington Library wearing the same clothing as seen in the photos.
During questioning, Burnett reportedly confessed to touching the 9-year-old, claiming her legs were open, which prompted him to commit the act. He admitted that the action made him feel aroused. As a result, Judge James Costello granted the state’s petition to detain Burnett until his trial.
Burnett’s criminal record includes a 27-year sentence in 1992 for sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl and a 2022 conviction for a similar offense involving a 4-year-old. He has also been incarcerated multiple times for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements.
