ST. LOUIS — A police source says the man taken into custody on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old boy may have tried something similar elsewhere in south St. Louis.
A man was taken into custody Thursday in connection with the assault of a 6-year-old boy in an alley behind a vacant home in south St. Louis on Sunday. As of noon Friday, the man has not been charged.
Police thanked the public for their help identifying the suspect after security images were distributed.
A police source told 5 On Your Side's Christine Byers that a second boy recognized the man in the photos. The boy told police the suspect in the photos shown on TV was the same man that tried to put him in a headlock and abduct him near Francis Park. The boy said he was able to get away.
The police source said investigators believe the attempted abduction near Francis Park happened before the alleged assault of a 6-year-old boy. The location where the boy was assaulted, the 6200 block of Loran Avenue, is less than a block from Francis Park.
The police source said the suspect in the assault was taken into custody at a warehouse in Fenton on Thursday afternoon. The source said the suspect's boss saw the security photos on TV and recognized him as one of his employees.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the detective handling the case directly at 314-760-7360.
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Child abuse resources:
- Call the 24-hour Child Abuse Hotline at 800-25-ABUSE (800-252-2873) if you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.
- If you suspect child abuse, call the Missouri Hotline number at 1-800-392-3738. The team is available to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- If you are hearing or speech impaired, call Relay Missouri at 1-800-735-2466 (voice) or 1-800-735-2966 (text). If you are mandated by law to report child abuse and neglect, you can make a report online here.
- To report a crime to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, visit their CyberTipline online.