Man accused of sexually assaulting young girls in stairwells

WATERLOO, ONT. • A man has been arrested in connection with alleged sexual assaults of young girls that took place over six years at apartment buildings in the area of Waterloo, Ont.

Waterloo regional police Insp. Mark Crowell said the three alleged incidents occurred between 2013 and 2019.

“Although we are confident that the person responsible for these incidents has been arrested, we continue to investigate further and we encourage anyone with additional information to please come forward,” said Crowell.

He said a 32-year-old man was arrested at a home in Milton, Ont., and was expected to appear in court Friday.

Crowell said the man lived in the Waterloo region during the 2013 and 2017 incidents and that he has “personal connections” to the area. Crowell said the man lived in Milton at the time of the 2019 incident.

The man has been charged with three counts of sexual assault and three counts of sexual interference.

“We believe this was an unknown offender to all the victims,” Crowell said.

Police said DNA evidence gathered linked the assaults to one suspect, who was arrested Thursday evening.

He said the most recent incident occurred last month when a four-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted in an apartment building’s common area.

The other two incidents involved another four-yearold girl and a six-year-old girl in 2013 and 2017 also at apartment buildings, according to Crowell.

In the October 2013 incident, police have said a fouryear-old girl was playing hide-and-seek with a group of children when she went inside for a drink of water and was allegedly sexually assaulted in a stairwell.

Police have also said a sixyear-old girl was sexually assaulted in the landing between the second and third floors of an apartment building in October 2017.

Crowell said investigators aren’t ruling out the possibility that the accused could be linked to more alleged sexual assaults.

Police have not named the accused, but Crowell said it is likely he will be identified during court proceedings.

“His identity will likely surface and I think members of the community will be able to provide us with additional information regarding the individual,” said Crowell.