How woman allegedly held hostage used food delivery app to get help from police

A woman who was allegedly held hostage and sexually assaulted in the Bronx used the Grubhub food delivery app to get in touch with the police, a criminal complaint stated. 

According to CNN, the unidentified woman met with the man after establishing contact with him on a dating app. The suspect, identified as Kemoy Royal, later raped and assaulted the woman, the complaint stated.

Royal is said to have denied the woman access to her phone. But she eventually managed to get it back when she told the suspect that she wanted to order food. The woman used the Grubhub food delivery app to place the order at Chipper Truck Cafe in Yonkers, New York. That was in the early hours of June 19.

In the comments section of the order, the woman wrote: “please call the police…please don’t make it obvious.”

One of the owners of the restaurant, Alice Bermejo, told the news outlet that an employee who saw the comment notified her husband. She said her husband suggested that they get in touch with the police. 

“It was just a waiting game to see what happened. We didn’t know if it was real or fake,” Bermejo said.

Police ultimately went to the address and arrested Royal after he opened the door to receive the supposed food order. Bermejo also said the police got in touch with her on June 19 to let them know that the woman wasn’t lying when she asked them for help. They also told her an arrest had been made and the woman was safe, CNN reported.

“We’re just grateful that the girl is okay. That is the most important thing,” said Bermejo.

Royal has since been charged with committing predatory sexual assault, rape, criminal sexual act, and sexual abuse, the criminal complaint stated. The 32-year-old suspect appeared before a court on June 19 and his cash bail was set at $25,000. 

Royal is also accused of sexually assaulting a different woman four days before the other incident. He has been charged with strangulation, committing sexual abuse, and attempted criminal sexual act in that case.