Just a few minutes.
That’s all the time it took for a depraved man to follow two little girls into the public toilets of a Sydney park and to subsequently indecently and sexually assault them.
Just a few minutes.
That’s all the time it took for this man to steal these girls’ innocence and change the course of their and their family’s lives forever.
The sisters the man attacked were aged just two and six-years-old.
The incident happened at the Campbell Hill Pioneer Reserve in Guildford, NSW, at around 1:30pm yesterday. The girls were reportedly admitted to hospital following the assaults but the extent of their injuries, both physical and psychological, is unknown.
This, from the Daily Telegraph:
Detective Acting Superintendent Peter Yeomans described the attacks as “a parent’s worst nightmare”. “The parents involved in this are absolutely devastated and so is the immediate family,” he told Macquarie Radio on Friday. “It’s horrific, what has happened to them.”
The area around the park was searched with the aid of police dogs and helicopters but the man who assaulted the girls is still on the run.
He is described a being of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean appearance, Middle Eastern or Mediterranean appearance, with black hair. He’s reportedly around 165cm tall (or 5ft 4″) and aged in his 30s.
In a press conference today, he was described as having an average to thin build.
The man was apparently wearing a black hooded jacket and blue shorts.
Here’s hoping he’s caught quickly and given the punishment he deserves.
Anyone with information about the man is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/.
UPDATE: Police say they are now viewing CCTV footage from businesses and streets around the park where the man might have passed through.
According to police, the girls went into the toilet where they were then approached by the man who indecently assaulted the 2-year-old and sexually assaulted the 6-year-old.
“The little six-year-old is still very upset by what has occurred. The little two-year-old when it did occur was very upset, was crying,” the Commander of the Child Abuse Squad, Detective Superintendent Peter Yeomans said.
“They are receiving counselling through various counselling services at the Westmead Children’s Hospital,” he said.
“It is a very harrowing scenario for the family.”
Top Comments
My son and daughter are both 11 and I still always accompany them when they need to use public toilets inc toilets at restaurants etc. The only time my son goes to the male toilet is when he is with his father . I don't care if anyone is offended or not . Unfortunately there are predators in this world that will take advantage of children if they are on their own and we cannot assume it won't happen to us.
You know, in your child's class at school there is likely a child who is being sexually abused.
These public incidents, whilst tragic, happen way less than sexual abuse in the home by an offender known to the victim.
It makes me think of Charlie Pickering's article recently. He talked about the emphasis on random violence and the comparative silence about domestic violence against women in the home.