DAVENPORT, Fla. (WFLA) – Three Michigan families are dealing with issues of anxiety and fear after vacationing in Polk County over spring break.
“We thought it was a safe community. You have to get in through a gate. It’s gated all around. They have security. Unfortunately, it turned out that it wasn’t as safe as we thought it was,” said Mark S., of Michigan.
Mark said his and two other families rented a vacation home for a week at Windsor Island Resort in Davenport.
At around 7 a.m. on April 1, his 19-year old daughter told him about something frightening that happened in her bedroom, where she was sleeping alone.
“My daughter had told me that the person came into her room, woke her up, had a light in her face, threw the blankets off like they were looking to see what she was wearing, what she had on, threw the blankets back on and ran out of the room,” Mark said.
Mark saw the man in the house a few moments later. He was concerned he may be armed or aggressive, so he kept a distance.
He followed him downstairs and the man ran out the back door.
“His demeanor was very aloof like he was out of it. I can’t say if he was on drugs or anything like that. It seemed to be like he might not have recognized where he was,” Mark said.
According to Mark, the doors were checked regularly and were locked.
“He fled immediately out the sliding glass door and, as you know, it’s easy to think you’ve locked the doors and not really have locked the doors. We didn’t see any evidence of forced entry when we got there to do the investigation,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
Deputies were called to the scene after Mark could not immediately locate the suspect.
The sheriff’s office had a composite picture created to find the young suspect, aged approximately 19-22 years old.
The suspect is described as 6’2 to 6’3, 160 pounds, wearing a gray hoodie at the time of the burglary.
“Occupied home invasion burglary, very serious crime to break into someone’s home while they’re there,” Sheriff Judd said.
“It was overall a harrowing experience. I have a daughter who is distraught, upset, wondering why this happened to her,” Mark said.
News Channel 8 reached out to Windsor Island Resort for comment on security and was told the request would be passed along to a representative.
The sheriff’s office urges anyone with information that could be helpful to this investigation to contact Detective Townes at 863-944-9717 (Case# 22-13672).
To remain anonymous, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226 TIPS (8477)
