Boston, MA – It happened just after noon on a Roxbury street corner when a man in a Hawaiian shirt allegedly approached a 14-year-old boy with a red handkerchief soaked in an unknown liquid and tried to press it over the teen’s mouth.
The incident occurred on July 28 at the intersection of Dudley and Washington streets, where the teen told police he was waiting for his brother when 69-year-old Willie Cowart, of Dorchester, poured liquid onto the handkerchief and made the move toward him. The boy ran to the Nubian Square bus station and contacted police.
Boston and MBTA officers responded to the area around 12:21 p.m. and quickly spotted a man matching the description: Cowart, who was sweating heavily, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and holding a red handkerchief. When confronted, he denied knowing or approaching the victim.
The teen later identified Cowart during a show-up procedure, and Boston EMS evaluated him at the scene. Officers searched Cowart’s vehicle and found multiple chemical cleaning agents, though the nature of the liquid on the handkerchief remains under investigation.
Cowart was arrested without incident and arraigned last Wednesday in Roxbury BMC on one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He was released on personal recognizance with orders to stay away from the victim and the area of the incident. A hearing for the appointment of counsel is scheduled for October 29.
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Key Points
- A 14-year-old boy reported being attacked with a chemical-soaked handkerchief in Roxbury
- 69-year-old Willie Cowart was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon
- The suspect was released and is due back in court October 29 for counsel appointment
