Man charged with kidnapping, sexually assaulting St. Paul girl, 7

A 7-year-old girl, who police say was kidnapped and sexually assaulted Thursday night, was found within two hours after neighbors' tips and quick police work led officers to the alleged abductor's apartment and his arrest in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood.

The Ramsey County Attorney's Office on Friday charged Mark Scott Meihofer, 47, of St. Paul, with one count each of kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Meihofer is scheduled to make his first appearance Monday in Ramsey County District Court, and prosecutors will seek a $2 million bail.

"It is heartening that residents stepped up and did the right thing and our officers worked so hard and were able to find the person responsible," said Steve Linders, St. Paul Police spokesperson.

According to the criminal complaint, Meihofer took the girl to his apartment and assaulted her.

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Meihofer was committed twice in 2012 for mental illness by Anoka County Social Service. He was a tenant at a Catholic Charities boarding house on Marshall Avenue.

The girl had accompanied her father to see his rental property in the 300 block of Dayton Avenue. She had run out of the building ahead of her father. A minute later he walked out and couldn't find the child. He searched the neighborhood for 15 minutes before calling police around 6:45 p.m.

"Our officers responded and immediately began canvassing the area," Linders said. "They began knocking on doors, speaking to people in the street, and they began walking through the neighborhood, looking for apartment buildings that had exterior cameras so maybe they could review the footage and see which way the girl went or who she was with."

Residents also approached police with a detailed description of a man who had been on the street earlier and behaving strangely. Police then found St. Christopher Place, which had exterior cameras, Linders said. An employee at the front desk agreed to the provide footage and also said a tenant, who matched the description of the suspect, had entered the building not long ago with a little girl.

In the surveillance video police saw a white male, wearing bright green shorts walking into the building carrying a girl at around 6:28 p.m. The employee identified the tenant as Meihofer. And police determined it was the missing girl by matching her photo with the video. The employee provided Meihofer's apartment number.

When police reached the unit, they could hear "commotion" inside. Meihofer refused to open the door at first, so officers began removing the door by its hinges. Police found the girl partially clothed and under a blanket.

The girl was treated at Children's Hospital and reunited with her family, police said.

The case was the second time this week St. Paul Police responded to "one of the worst calls imaginable," Linders said.

"Those are calls involving a missing child or a child who has been victimized," he said. "Both cases they responded as quickly as possible."

Police are still looking for a suspect in Tuesday's attack of 5-year-old girl in the North End. Linders said investigators aren't sure if there's a connection between the two incidents but are looking into it.

They are also asking anyone with information to call 651-266-5695.