Mississippi man, 28, HID in mall bathroom where he raped and tried to murder a mother - then fled when victim's husband heard her screams and raced in to save her
- Andrew Malik Jones, 28, reportedly hid in the restroom at the Gulfport Premium Outlets Monday night before raping and assaulting a woman who walked inside
- Gulfport, Mississippi police report that he shoved an Oklahoma mother into one of the stalls and began physically and sexually assaulting her around 6.45 pm
- He then allegedly tried to run off with her purse, but was stopped by a group of bystanders, including the victim's husband
- The husband, who has not been named, claimed Jones put towels over his wife's face and a belt around her neck before he raped her
- He reportedly chased after Jones, trying to lure him with money in an effort to detain him until police could arrive
- Jones is now charged with robbery and sexual assault and is being held on a $1 million bond in a Mississippi jail
- The victim, meanwhile, is recovering from serious injuries - including a fractured skull, at a New Orleans hospital
Andrew Malik Jones, 28, is facing robbery and sexual assault charges and is being held on a $1 million bond in Mississippi
A Mississippi man allegedly hid in a public bathroom at a high-end outlet mall, before he raped and assaulted a woman from Oklahoma who stepped inside the restroom Monday night.
Gulfport, Mississippi police said Andrew Malik Jones, 28, was hiding in the restroom at Gulfport Premium Outlets around 6.45pm Monday night, when the victim - a mother from Oklahoma who was visiting the Gulf Coast with her family - walked in.
Jones then allegedly shoved her into one of the stalls and began physically and sexually assaulting her, leaving her with a fractured skull.
He then tried to grab her purse and run away, WXXV 25 reports, but he was detained by a group of bystanders, including the victim's husband, until police could arrive on the scene.
Jones is now facing robbery and sexual assault charges, and is being held on a $1 million bond at the Harrison County Jail.
A rape victim's husband said he was standing in the food court of the Gulfport Premium Outlets (pictured) with their young daughter on Monday night when his wife went to the restroom. Eight minutes later, he said, he heard her crying and screaming
The husband, who has not been identified, told WLOX he followed Jones out of the bathroom and tried to lure him with money in an attempt to keep him detained until cops could show up
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The victim, meanwhile, was taken to a New Orleans hospital, according to WLOX, where she is being treated for serious injuries - including a fractured skull.
'She's got a broken bone on her head,' her husband, who has also not been identified, told WLOX on Tuesday, adding that he has not been able to see her and has not been able to sleep since the assault occurred.
The husband said he was standing in the food court with their young daughter, on a trip to visit family members in the area, when his wife went to the restroom 'and the man locked her inside.
'He put towels over her face and a belt on her neck and raped her and tried to kill her,' the husband claimed, noting that he heard her scream and cry about eight minutes after she entered the bathroom.
He said he immediately ran to help her, but once he saw the suspect leave the restroom, 'I kept chasing him,' trying to lure him with money as he ran into the parking lot.
'I showed him my wallet and said "here, money, money,"' the victim's husband recounted to the local news station. 'I wanted too keep him there so that's how I got him to stay.'
He is now warning people to 'stay close to your wife and kids all the time.'
'In this case, I wasn't able to do that because he locked the door inside.
'I couldn't do anything, but keep them close to you. Keep your family and kids close to you - as close as you can.'
