Man Allegedly Used Dog to Lure Out Girl, Kidnapped And Sexually Assaulted Her Before Dropping Her Home: Police
Walter Fanion, 68, has been arrested and charged with assault of a minor, police say
Webster Police Department
Walter FanionA man allegedly grabbed the girl and pulled her into his car, using the ruse of showing her his dog, per police
He allegedly drove her around and sexually assaulted her, police say
He allegedly drove to another state during the incident, the girl told authorities
A 68-year-old Massachusetts man has been arrested and charged after police say he lured a child into his car and sexually assaulted her, authorities say.
Walter Fanion was arrested in Webster, Mass., on Friday and charged with kidnapping, enticing a child under 16, and four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 in connection with the incident, the Webster Police Department said in a statement.
In an interview with police on April 15, the alleged victim — a juvenile whose age has not been released — said a man with a dog allegedly “lured her inside his car" when she was at Memorial Beach, per the statement.
Authorities allege that after getting her inside the car, the man covered her mouth when she tried screaming for help, according to Boston 25.
“He then drove her to a location to drop off the dog he was with and, at some point, assaulted her inappropriately,” the police statement alleged.
At one point during the drive, the man allegedly drove across state lines into Connecticut, Boston 25 reported, citing the child's account given to police.
The suspect then allegedly dropped off the child in her neighborhood and she reported the incident to her grandmother, per police.
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The girl reportedly told authorities that the man told her that he would be at the beach the next day, police said in their statement. She also reportedly shared “unique” features about his car that helped authorities identify the suspect.
Fanion became the suspect, and over the next few days police monitored and followed him before arresting him, per the statement.
Plea and attorney information was not available in online court records as of Tuesday afternoon.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
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