Neighbor Kidnaps, Sexually Assaults 20-Month-Old Girl Playing At Her Home
A man in India has been arrested after he allegedly abducted the 20-month-old daughter of his neighbor and sexually assaulted the child at his home.
The horrific assault happened in Mumbai, a city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, last week. The unidentified 35-year-old suspect was arrested after the toddler's parents filed a complaint with the police Sunday, officials said, reported local outlet NDTV.
The girl's mother stepped out of the house on Jan.19 to take a physically challenged family member to a common washroom. The mother realized her toddler was missing after she returned home.
"The victim was playing in the veranda and when he [the suspect] saw the girl was alone, he took her to his house and allegedly sexually assaulted her," an investigating officer said, reported The Indian Express.
The parents later found the child at the suspect's house. They took her to a hospital and the medics confirmed she was sexually assaulted.
"While we were recording the statement of the victim's mother, we sent a team to his house and apprehended the accused," another officer said.
The suspect was charged with sexual assault of a minor and wrongful confinement, reports said. Police are investigating if the suspect has assaulted the girl before the incident.
"The child's mother has expressed suspicions, due to which we are checking whether the accused has sexually assaulted her before," a senior police officer told the outlet.
In a similar case, a man in India was arrested a few months ago for sexually assaulting and murdering his neighbor's 7-year-old daughter. The investigation began after the girl's parents reported her missing and her remains were later discovered in a forest area. Based on call records, police detained the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Rajesh Rajak. He confessed that he assaulted the girl to take revenge on the victim's father for allegedly having an affair with his wife.
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