Police Search For Man Who May Have Groped School Kids
Posted June 22, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It was broad daylight and three adults — a teacher, teacher’s assistant, and a parent — were present. By all appearances, the 26 school children who ventured out for what was supposed to be a fun picnic in the sun at a local park seemed safe. But that illusion may have been cruelly shattered after a man allegedly groped several of the kids before leaving the scene. Now police are hot on his trail.
It all started when a grade five class was returning from a field trip Wednesday afternoon and stopped for a picnic lunch at a small park in Forest Hill a few blocks from their school.
Everything seemed to be proceeding as planned until the teacher’s assistant noticed a man standing near several of kids in the playground area and patting one of the students on the head. She thought it was strange and gathered up the group and they returned to the school. Nobody thought anything serious had happened until late that night when one of the children told their parents the man had been fondling them while lifting them up to the monkey bars.
Police believe six students were victimized.
A social worker talked with the grade 5 class and a letter was sent home to all the parents at the school along with a list of street-proofing tips.
“A brazen assault on a group of young children, It’s very uncommon,” said Detective Mark Niezen.
The news understandably rattled parents.
“It can happen everywhere now,” remarked one. “It’s not safe nowhere now.”
The suspect is described as white, 50 to 60 years old. He’s about five-foot-eight with grey hair and moustache. He was wearing a white t-shirt, blue shorts and spoke with a thick eastern European accent.
