Stranger pulls down mask, kisses baby girl on the lips in store before arrest
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. March 27 2021Â A Lane County man was arrested Thursday evening after police investigated a harassment incident at a local store, the Springfield Police Department reported.
Just after 6 p.m. Thursday, an officer was flagged down by a father who reported a stranger had just pulled his face mask off and kissed his daughter on the lips inside WinCo.
Just prior to seeing the officer, the father was searching for the suspect, later identified as 24-year-old Austin Blake Stewart of Springfield.
During the investigation, the officer learned that while inside the store, the mother had her 1 1/2 year-old daughter in her shopping cart.
“While the mother glanced away for a brief moment, the suspect leaned down, removed his mask and kissed their daughter on the lips and then departed,” SPD said.
The mother began searching for the suspect, but he had vanished. She alerted her husband and WinCo staff.
Officers began searching and later found Stewart under a blanket on 18th St.
He was arrested and lodged at the Springfield Municipal Jail, charged with physical harassment and disorderly conduct.
“This is the second incident involving crimes against children this week (the first being a kidnapping),” SPD said. “In both cases, the parents did an excellent job working with SPD to apprehend the suspect. In this case, staff with WinCo were also very helpful in alerting SPD to the event and providing video footage to help identify the suspect.
KMTR
