Garland Police Try To Identify Man Who Exposed Himself To Girl
GARLAND (CBSDFW.COM) – Last week police say a man exposed himself to a six-year-old girl in a Wal-Mart parking lot. A woman walking by noticed and whisked the child back into the store.
Now, police have asked the public's assistance in identifying both of them.
At about 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 13, the girl and her mother were separated while shopping inside the Wal-Mart in the 5300 block of North Garland Ave. at George Bush Turnpike.
Thinking her mother may have returned to her vehicle, the girl walked outside to the parking lot.
While there, a man approached her and asked if she was lost, Garland Police spokesman Joe Harn said. The man convinced her to walk with him and exposed himself to her in between two vehicles, Harn said. In surveillance footage, the two are off-camera for about three minutes.
Shortly thereafter, a woman saw the two and asked the girl if she was lost, Harn said. She took the girl back into the Wal-Mart where she was reunited with her mother.
Neither person was at the scene when authorities arrived, Harn said.
"She was not injured in any manner," Harn said of the girl. "Certainly she was frightened after she got to thinking about it, told her mom and her mom contacted us."
Garland Police have an image of the Good Samaritan and a long-distance photo of the suspect, who was wearing white shoes and light pants in the parking lot. Both were culled from surveillance footage.
Harn said he believes the woman is key to the investigation: She's the best clue, and the one who could help police identify the suspect.
"Something raised suspicion with her, because pretty quickly you see her hook up with the pair, with the little girl and the guy," Harn said, watching surveillance footage of the incident.
Harn said the man was in the parking lot for "some time" attempting to sell something to customers.
If anyone has information that could help investigators, Harn said to call the department at 972.205.2082.
