L.A. man arrested on suspicion of sexual assault of 9-year-old girl at Irvine library
A Los Angeles man accused of exposing himself to a 9-year-old girl and sexually assaulting her at an Irvine public library last week has been arrested, according to police.
Christopher Eduard, 53, was arrested Friday in the alleged assault at the Orange County Public Libraries Irvine Heritage Park branch in the children’s section, where the girl was looking at books, the Irvine Police Department said in a news release.
Eduard allegedly asked the underage victim to help him make a video, police said. He gave the girl his phone to record and held cue cards for her to read from, according to police.
The former San Diego County educator is being held at a detention facility without bail.
“During the incident, Eduard exposed himself and assaulted the 9-year-old,” police said.
The victim’s mother was also at the library at the time of the sexual assault, police said.
Detectives looking over surveillance footage of the area found a car linked to the suspect, which helped them identify Eduard. Irvine police arrested him “near his home” on Friday and found evidence that connected him to the crime, police said.
Eduard was released Saturday on bond, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Officials with the International Churches of Christ and International Christian Church declined to comment on the allegations.
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