DNA links convict to 1999 rape of girl, 13

DANIELSON -- DNA evidence has implicated a convicted sex offender in the rape of a 13-year-old girl nearly eight years after the assault occurred.

Michael Birch, 31, who is serving a 25-year prison term for another sexual assault, was arraigned Tuesday in Danielson Superior Court on charges of first-degree sexual assault and first-degree kidnapping. His case was continued and he was returned to prison to await his next court appearance.

Birch was arrested March 31, 2000, for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl at knifepoint, state police said Tuesday. He subsequently was convicted and sentenced to 25 years, which he is serving at the Osborne Correctional Facility in Somers.

While incarcerated, Birch provided a DNA sample that later was analyzed and entered into the DNA database, police said.

During the investigation of the sexual assault of the 13-year-old girl, which occurred in the early morning hours of June 8, 1999, the victim was taken to Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam for treatment. Physical evidence seized by police from the girl was forwarded to the state police forensic laboratory, where it was analyzed and DNA extracted from that evidence was entered into the database.

Walking in Thompson

Police said the girl had been walking south on Riverside Drive in Thompson, heading toward Putnam, when she was lured into a white car driven by a white man. They said the man drove the victim to an unidentified location, where he displayed a weapon and sexually assaulted the girl.

Once the DNA sample was provided by Birch, police said they were able to match the samples to him.

Provided with this information, detectives from the Eastern District Major Crime Squad at Troop D were able to obtain an arrest warrant for Birch from the Superior Court.

Yvonne Bradley of Killingly praised the arrest and said she thought it was "wonderful" police were able to use the DNA evidence to solve the case.

"I don't care how long it takes, if they can use this modern technology to link someone to a crime against a child, that's wonderful," she said. "Anyone who assaults a young child should have to pay for his crime."