Families in the Woodland Heights neighborhood took to the streets Saturday morning, distributing flyers in hopes of tracking down a man accused of inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl as she walked home from school last week.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Houston police looking for man who groped 7-year-old girl while she walked home from school in Woodland Heights
Concerned parents and residents gathered outside Antidote Coffee on Studewood Street, united by a shared goal—to bring awareness to the incident and help identify the suspect.
“This guy’s not only changed this young girl’s life but he’s changed all of us—how we view this community,” said Phillip Rife, one of the parents distributing flyers.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured the man following a group of Travis Elementary School students before groping one of them. The incident has sparked a strong community response, with residents sharing security footage and going door-to-door in search of information.
“We have been working together to try to find footage, to go door-to-door, to find out if anyone knows this person,” said Stella Hart, a parent in the neighborhood.
For many, the incident has led to difficult but necessary conversations with their children.
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“It brought the need for some uncomfortable conversations that I didn’t know I needed to have with an 8-year-old or a 7-year-old,” Hart said. “I didn’t know that at 7 years old I’d have to explain this to my daughter.”
Authorities are actively searching for the suspect and urging anyone with information to come forward.
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