Man who allegedly sexually assaulted 3 young girls near Scarborough park charged

Alaa Hejazi, 32, of Toronto, has been charged in connection with a recent sexual assault investigation in Scarborough. (Toronto Police Service)

Toronto police have charged a man who allegedly sexually assaulted three young girls near a park in Scarborough last month.

In a news release issued Friday, police said officers were called to Wexford Park, near Elm Bank Road and Pharmacy Avenue, at 8:45 p.m. on July 18 for an indecent exposure call.

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Police allege that a woman was in the park with her two young daughters at the time and noticed the suspect loitering nearby. The suspect then approached the victim from behind and allegedly grabbed her arm.

Police said as the woman gathered her children and left the park, the suspect followed for a short while before walking away.

Then, police said, three young girls, between the ages of 10 and 15, were walking through the park when the suspect approached and began talking to them.

“The suspect followed the girls through the wooded area into the residential area adjacent to the park,” police said.

The suspect then allegedly exposed himself to the girl before sexually assaulting all three of them, police said.

A concerned citizen, police said, saw the suspect with the three girls and approached them, causing the suspect to flee. He was found by officers a short time later and arrested.

The suspect has been identified by police as Alaa Hejazi, 32, of Toronto.

He’s charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, committing an indecent act in a public place and breach of probation order.

Hejazi was scheduled to appear in a Toronto courtroom on July 26 for a bail hearing, the results of which were not disclosed by police.

Police believe there may be additional victims.