7 months ago
VACAVILLE, CA - A quick-thinking 9-year-old helped save her 6-year-old friend from a suspected child molester in Vacaville Tuesday, according to police.
"He said, I've got a surprise for you, so close your eyes," said Caitlin Aston, 9, as she described the moments before a stranger grabbed her young friend.
Sgt. Charlie Spruill with the Vacaville Police Department said at 7:35 Tuesday evening, officers received the report of a man who had pulled the younger girl into an alley on the 800 block of Merchant Street and tried to fondle her. Spruill said the man, identified as Mohammad Musallam Kattan, 20, first pushed down his pants and masturbated before pulling down the victim's two-piece swimsuit bottom.
At that point, the 6-year-old called out to Aston to come over, according to Spruill. Aston told officers she thought something was wrong and under the guise of saying she had to first pick-up her jump rope, she ran off to get help.
Spruill said the 6-year-old told police that Kattan held her and made her touch his genitals. She also said he tried to make her orally copulate him. Kattan fled the scene before officers arrived but Spruill said a description from the victim and her friend aided in officers finding the suspect.
"I could hear my daughter screaming in the alley, going, 'no, no, no,'" said the victim's mother. "I now call Caitlin my daughter's angel for what she did to help."
Kattan was taken into custody on suspicion of two lewd acts on a child, molestation or annoying a child, kidnapping and false imprisonment.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Det. Shawn Windham at (707) 469-6630.
News10/KXTV
