Hero 15-year-old son drags 'rapist' intruder off his mother

John Wayne Morris, 37, was arrested at his home and now faces the charge of burglary with intent to commit a sexual act. Photo / McLennan County Jail

A Texas teenager managed to drag an attempted rapist off his mother during a break-in at their home on Tuesday and restrain him until police arrived.

The brave 15-year-old and his mother were at home in Robinson, a suburb southeast of Waco, when the would-be attacker entered the house through an unlocked door, at 11.30pm.

The woman said she woke up to find a stranger straddling her in bed and holding her down, the Waco Tribune reported.

She told police she started to scream but the suspect, later identified as John Wayne Morris, 37, told her that someone was watching her children and they would be killed if she fought back.

Police reported that she did not put up a fight out of fear that they would be harmed, the Daily Mail reports.

But her teenage son had barged into the bedroom and dragged the intruder, who is more than double his age, off his mother while his two sisters called 911, according to the police report.

When officers arrived they found the teenage sisters outside, who told them their brother was in the home fighting off the intruder.

Police found the 15-year-old with his hands still around the suspect's neck, KWKT reported.

Morris, who lives locally but has no previous connection to the victim or her family, was arrested at the property.

He was taken to McLennan County Jail, charged with a first-degree felony charge of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit sexual assault.

He does not appear to have any previous criminal convictions.

Robinson Police Chief Phillip Prasifka told the Tribune-Herald: 'She [the victim] said that Morris threatened her by telling her that he had someone watching her children and that they would kill them,' Prasifka said.

"[The woman] stated that she was afraid to fight back because she was afraid that her children would be harmed."