What would you do if you wake up in the middle of the night and see a stranger playing with your 2-year-old daughter? A father from suburban Phoenix, Arizona had the shock of his life when he encountered a similar situation and suspected abuse. To make the matters worse, the stranger was inebriated.
On 15 December, 2016, at around 2 am, the father, whose name has been withheld for privacy, woke up to the noises of his baby crying. He walked into her room to find his 2-year-old on a stranger’s lap. Later identified as Oren Cohen, the man was in a state of drunkenness, and his pants were slightly pulled down, exposing his buttocks. Seeing the father, he tried to tell him that he was his friend, and at the same time, he tried escaping after throwing the baby on the couch.
The father tried to tackle Oren, however he managed to escape the house. Meanwhile, the mother called the police who found him in the parking lot. He resisted arrest and had to be subdued using a taser gun. His coat, one shoe and passport was found in the girl’s room. The rest of the story came out after that.
Oren’s account of events
He was visiting a friend who stayed in the same apartment complex. He went on a drinking spree and stepped out for a cigarette. But he was so drunk that he ended up entering a wrong apartment. He saw a ‘midget’ and started playing with it. He also used the baby’s bathroom and helped himself to some orange juice!
His description of the ‘midget’ matched with that of the baby. He broke down when he came to know that the it was a 2-year-old girl and not a person with dwarfism. He denied sexually assaulting the baby, claiming that he would not do something like that ever. The father of the baby confirmed that the baby’s pyjamas and diaper was as it was when she went to the bed time. However, the child reported that the man gave her an ‘ouchie’ while pointing towards her buttocks. Here is the police report from the court.
Oren faces charges of assault, burglary and kidnapping a child. He is a citizen of Israel and wishes to go back to his home country.
Luckily for the parents, the man did not try to molest the girl. However, it is not always the case. Child molestation is more common than you think. And the worst part: it often comes from people that you trust your baby with.
So keep a lookout for the signs of molestation.
1. The child’s body language
See if his/her body language changes when any particular person is in the room. Chances are, your kid does not like the person. But there is always a chance that it is not just because of the appearance of the person. In such cases, never leave your baby alone with that person.
2. Background checks
If you are leaving your child at a day-care, talk to other parents. Find out if the child minders have a bad history. Most often, these places are where most of the abuse occurs.
3. Encourage your child to open up
Create a safe zone at your home where your child can say anything without being scolded, ridiculed or judged. Trusting your children is the first step towards building this relationship of openness.
4. Report abuse, irrespective of the abuser
If, unfortunately, an abuse happens, report it to the police. Don’t try to shield the abuser or give him a second chance just to maintain relations. He is not only a danger to your child but is also a threat to other children.
Mums and dads, be safe and keep your kids safer.
Image and story source: Fox News
Also read: Little girl’s drawings reveal horrible abuse suffered at the hands of a priest
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