Sexual assault reported at cemetery

SMITHFIELD – Detectives with the Smithfield Police Department are investigating an alleged sexual assault at a local cemetery.

On November 6, 2024, a juvenile victim filed a report with law enforcement authorities alleging that she was sexually assaulted by a male acquaintance in June 2023. The attack is believed to have occurred at Hills of the Neuse Cemetery, located on Packing Plant Road at S. Brightleaf Boulevard.

According to police, the victim and suspect were known to each other and the incident was not random. The victim waited 17 months to report the alleged assault.

The case is under investigation.