The parents of a toddler who was allegedly sexually assaulted in Halifax Friday night have decided not to proceed with a police investigation.
The parents – whose identities have been concealed to protect the identity of the child – say their daughter was playing outside with an older sibling and some other children in the area of Wood Avenue around 7:30 p.m.
“Our oldest daughter came inside. Our youngest daughter stayed outside and we realized that she was still outside. We went outside to see where she was, and it had only been about two minutes and she was around the corner and a little boy said that she had gone with a man. We went around the corner and she was there and the man was nowhere to be found,” said one parent.
They said Monday they were undecided about proceeding with the investigation as they wanted to shield their young daughter from the court system, but also said they felt obligated to report the incident to police.
On Tuesday, they confirmed to CTV News that they have decided not to proceed with the police investigation.
In any case of sexual assault, police will only proceed with an investigation if the alleged victim – or, in this case, the child’s parents – are willing.
However, police say they are still keeping an eye out for the suspect.
“It's very unnerving and unsettling,” said Halifax Regional Police spokesperson Const. Diane Woodworth on Monday. “We want to put it out there and make people aware that this did happen.”
Woodworth says the department respects the family’s decision not to proceed with the investigation and that they can request to reopen the investigation at any time.
Woodworth says the incident was reported to police by one of the child's parents just before 8 p.m. Friday.
The girl was not physically injured.
The suspect is described only as a black man with a chubby nose and cheeks. He was wearing a bicycle helmet and riding a bike.
Woodworth says there have been no previous reports of anyone behaving in a similar manner around young children in the area.
The parents say the incident has reminded them that crime can happen anywhere.
“It's extremely scary,” said one parent. “I think that we're both extremely diligent with our children's safety and not people who leave their children unattended at times. So to realize in that split second that she could be gone, that panic is indescribable.”
They say they’re grateful their own child is so young she doesn't understand the seriousness of what happened to her.
With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Atlantic’s Kayla Hounsell
