Chicago-area man charged with kidnapping, murdering 10-year-old girl who was playing outside in Rockford

ROCKFORD, Illinois - A Chicago-area man is charged with kidnapping and murdering a 10-year-old girl in Rockford on Saturday.

Rockford police said the girl and her sister, 6, were playing outside on Saturday afternoon when the older sister was grabbed by Antonio Monroe, 44.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 CHICAGO ON YOUTUBE

The little sister was able to get away and ran to tell their mother.

The older sister was found unresponsive less than an hour after their mother called police.

A police K9 tracked Monroe down a few blocks away from the girl's body. He was taken into custody after a brief struggle, police said.

Antonio Monroe

Rockford police said Monroe is a resident of Blue Island, Illinois.

Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara released the following statement:

"I’m devasted by this horrific crime and the long-lasting impact it will undoubtedly have on this innocent child’s family and loved ones. Some crimes, especially those involving children, affect the entire community and make us question everything that we think we know to be true. In this moment, we have to acknowledge that our community needs time to process, grieve and heal. As a leader, I also need to understand if there are gaps in the system that need to be closed or more protections put in place to ensure that violent criminals are not free to roam and prey on children in our community. We will evaluate those questions in the coming weeks and months. For now, my heart is with the family and the entire community as we mourn the loss of one of our children."