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OREM — An 11-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on her way to school in Orem Wednesday, police said.
The girl was walking to school when a man in his late teens or early 20s approached her near Cherry Hill Elementary School, according to Lt. Craig Martinez of the Orem Police Department.
"This is forcible sexual assault," Martinez said.
Police said the girl would have been walking in the area of 1650 South and 400 East at around 7:50 a.m. The man took her to a nearby church parking lot where they were hidden from view, Martinez said. After assaulting her, the man left.
The girl ran to school and notified a teacher of the incident, and someone from the school contacted police, he said.
"She's very distraught," Martinez said. "We need to get this guy off the street."
The man was wearing a gray hoodie, dark baseball hat and tennis shoes, investigators said. The girl was wearing a pink coat and light blue jeans.
Anyone who was in the area at the time and has information is urged to contact the Orem Police Department at 801-229-7070.
Erin Vasquez, with the Family Support and Treatment Center in Orem, said talking to children who have heard about an incident like this can be difficult for parents.
Vasquez encourages parents to educate kids rather than dwelling on the details, while reminding them they should always talk to an adult if something happens.
"It's empowering the child to be able to recognize that if something does come up, they have the skill sets to be able to deal with it," she said.
Contributing: Devon Dolan
