BELLEVUE BEAST CAGED

New York Post/Laura Italiano

Hector Ramirez, a 45 year old career criminal, was charged with the savage rape of a 13 year oldgirl he snatched from her Bellevue Hospital room. NYPD Officer George Wolform recognized adescription of the suspect in a radio news report and alerted detectives. They rushed to thehospital and arrested Ramirez as he was visiting his wife, also a hospital patient, just after theApril 9, 2004 rape. He had been on parole with 12 prior arrests dating back to 1977, includingrobbery, burglary and assault. Ramirez posed as a concerned hospital aide, lured the girl from herroom and led her to a hospital conference room, where he beat and raped her. He beat her and chokedher and she did lose consciousness a few times.

Ramirez was indicted as details emerged about how he attempted to avoid arrest. He repeatedlydenied any involvement in the attack on the girl. After cops searched his home and found clothesstained with blood, they asked him to explain. According to court papers, he responded with aquestion: Hypothetically, what would happen to someone if they happened upon someone in that roomupstairs and saw an envelope and they thought there was money in it and they went to take it andtripped and got blood on them and then got scared? He was arrested after the victim picked him outof a line up. Ramirez pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder, attempted rape, sexualabuse, assault and robbery and was being held without bail.

Ramirez was sentenced to 37 years to life in prison on June 16, 2005.

(New York)