Man angry at his house being egged attacks 11-year-old girl, Florida cops say

Heart-wrenching video shows a terrified 11-year-old girl begging for help when she was attacked in a case of mistaken identity, Florida investigators say.

The incident happened just after noon Saturday, April 19, and a man has been arrested as a suspect, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in an April 21 news release.

Video released by the sheriff’s office shows screams alert neighbors to 43-year-old Marius Mutu pinning the girl to the ground.

“Mutu told deputies that, for the past week, someone had been throwing eggs at his apartment,” the sheriff’s office says.

“When it happened again that day, he assumed the girl walking nearby was responsible, chased her, forced her to the ground, and restrained her until adults intervened. Mutu claimed he was trying to take a photo of the child to report the incident to the apartment management.”

The girl was frantic, crying and screaming for help, video shows. At one point, she is heard telling Mutu: “I wasn’t doing anything. I swear to God.”

Neighbors are seen intervening, including one who yells for Mutu to “get off of her.”

He has been charged with misdemeanor battery and felony false imprisonment, jail records show.

“This type of behavior is not only unacceptable, it’s reprehensible. The safety of our children is non-negotiable,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the news release.

“This child endured a terrifying and traumatic experience at the hands of someone who chose to take matters into his own hands.”

This story was originally published April 22, 2025 at 7:30 AM with the headline "Man angry at his house being egged attacks 11-year-old girl, Florida cops say."