Police say they are looking for a potential sex offender after a 10-year-old girl was assaulted by a masked man in Malvern on Tuesday.
The girl was walking along a trail near McLevin Avenue and Malvern Street when she was allegedly assaulted by the man. Police say the girl was then able to kick the man away and run to safety.
The incident marked the fourth time in the last six weeks that children have been approached or assaulted by a strange man in the Malvern area but Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook tells CP24 that investigators do not believe any of the cases are linked at this point.
Police previously issued a public safety alert about the three previous incidents that occurred between Feb. 10 and March 11.
Those incidents took place in the Burrows Hall Boulevard and Purvis Crescent and Mammoth Hall Trail and Malvern Street areas.
“There are a couple of other incidents that occurred of a similar nature but at this point there is no indication that these are linked. However that doesn’t minimize the importance of speaking to your kids and advising them of what to do in situations like this,” Douglas-Cook said. “Let the kids know to always use the buddy system and if they see anything suspicious involving an adult who is unknown to them they should notify their parents or a teacher.”
Douglas-Cook said that a team of office are looking into Tuesday’s incident and will be “investigating the area generally.”
The suspect is described as a brown man, who is about six-feet tall. He was last wearing all-black clothing and a mask.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at (416) 808-4200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (416) 222-TIPS (8477).
