An 8-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in the toy aisle of an Alameda County 99-cent store on Sunday afternoon, authorities said, who released two new photos on Tuesday morning. Nannette Miranda reports.
An 8-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in the toy aisle of an Alameda County 99-cent store on Sunday afternoon, authorities said, who released two new photos on Tuesday morning.
The girl was in the toy aisle of the 99 Cents Only store at 20882 Mission Blvd. in Hayward at about 1:45 p.m. Sunday when a man grabbed her and put his hand in her pants, sheriff's Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said.
"The suspect groped the child underneath her clothing and touched her genital area," Kelly said.
The girl’s mother was in another aisle and didn’t see the attack.
The man ran from the store after the assault. The girl and her mother waited at the store for sheriff's investigators and described the assault.
The girl was taken to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland for a sexual assault exam.
"We're working diligently to find the suspect," Kelly said. "This is an egregious crime and we will leave no stone unturned."
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Kelly said the assault should serve as a wake-up call to parents.
“There’s people who come to stores like this to target children,” Kelly said. “So it’s important that you as a parent be vigilant and never let your kids out of your sight.”
Investigators are asking anyone with information about the assault to contact the sheriff's special victims unit at (510) 667-3645 or an anonymous tip line at (510) 667-3622.
