Southfield police seek man accused of snapping pictures of child in restroom
Police in Southfield, Michigan, are looking for a man who they say took pictures of a young girl while she was using the restroom. Now, officers need the public's help to identify him.
"I'm very upset. You did this to a 9-year-old child, and we will find you," said Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren.
On Wednesday, Oct. 22, a man was caught on camera walking into a Michaels store on Telegraph Road.
"There was a White male that entered the restroom. He had a cell phone, put the cell phone over the stall and took several images of a 9-year-old who was actively using the restroom, exposed," Barren said.
Police say the 9-year-old girl and her mom used the restroom in different stalls when something felt unusual.
"I just got an eerie feeling that I was being watched, so I looked u,p and the moment I looked up, my daughter is screaming from the stall next to me. She says, 'Mommy, camera, camera,'" said the child's mother.
The child recalls that the man had white hands and black sleeves. Her mom, who did not want to show her face on camera, says the entire incident happened fast.
"I'm disgusted, I'm hurt, and I'm sickened that this happened to my child," the mother said.
Police say the suspect is a bald White man, middle-aged with a mustache, wearing a white coat, black shirt with black pants, and white shoes.
Authorities are committed to bringing this man to justice.
"This is very disturbing; this is very sickening, and we need the public's help in identifying the suspect. A message to him in this case, turn yourself in, let's have a conversation, and get to the bottom of this," Barren said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Southfield Police Department at 248-796-5500 or contact Crime Stoppers at 800-Speak Up.