A 44-year-old man has been charged in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl in the washroom of a school in Toronto's Newtonbrook neighbourhood.
On Tuesday, officers were called to a school in the area of Bayview and Cummer avenues at around 11 a.m. after police say a 16-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in a washroom inside the building.
According to police, a man walked into the high school on Tuesday morning and entered the girls’ washroom. A short time later, the teenage victim walked into the same washroom and when she attempted to leave, the man blocked her path and sexually assaulted her, police say.
Staff members were alerted to the incident when the girl screamed. They immediately came to assist the victim and called police.
In a statement issued Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Toronto Catholic District School Board said the safety of students is the board’s “first priority.”
“Yesterday, St. Joseph Morrow Park was in a lockdown for a short period of time due to a police investigation. According to the police report, an individual not known to the school community entered the building and assaulted a student,” the spokesperson said.
“Staff were immediately notified and the police were called. The individual was apprehended quickly and charges have been laid.”
The written statement went on to say that these type of incidents are “very rare.”
“Supports have been in place for students and staff at the school since yesterday, and these will continue as long as needed,” the statement concluded.
In a news release issued Wednesday, police say 44-year-old Edison Diamante has been arrested in connection with the case.
He has been charged with forcible confinement, assault, and sexual assault.
He was scheduled to appear in court at 1000 Finch Avenue West on Wednesday morning.
Police are asking anyone with additional information about the incident or suspect to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
