A refugee was arrested on a charge of indecent assault after allegedly
grabbing the upper thigh of a young girl in a public swimming pool,
according to police in Massachusetts.
Lowell police said that they have arrested 22-year-old Emad Hasso, after
being accused of touching the thigh of the 13-year-old girl and asking
about her age.
Hasso denied the allegations, saying he cannot speak English, but security camera video showed that he did harass the girl.
Hasso has been charged with one count of indecent assault and one count
of battery on someone under 16. He was booked into jail, and his bail
was set at $25,000.
A judge ordered Hasso to have no contact with the victim or anyone under the age of 16.
According to the victim, around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, she was swimming
at the Raymond Lord Memorial Pool, where Hasso approached her, touched
her upper thigh and he asked her age.
The girl told him that she was too young for him, and walked away. Hasso
began to follow the girl in the pool and approached her again, touching
the upper thigh and asking her age.
The girl replied that she was a young child, and told him to leave her
alone. Other people in the pool, including the lifeguard saw some of the
interaction between Hasso and the victim, and intervened.
Hasso has been in the country for about two months, after leaving Syria.