Claims of a child being indecently assaulted at a popular Altona beachfront park last week have been met with dismay.
A mum posted on social media that when she turned her back for a moment, her daughter was assaulted at a park opposite Altona Pier last Wednesday.
“The police have been notified, but I would like to warn other mums on here to keep an eagle eye on their little ones,” she posted. I was four feet away and cleaning my other child’s face when it happened.”
Footscray’s sexual offences and child abuse investigation team confirmed it was investigating a report from the Altona area but declined to elaborate.
Police said they had received no recent similar reports from the Altona area.
People responding to the mum’s online post said it made their skin crawl. One mother said a strategy for parents if they saw this happening to their child was to attract attention by shouting: “Get your hands off my child, we don’t know you.”
Hobsons Bay’s Acting Inspector Andrew Foot said the nature of the assault was unusual for Altona.
“You have to supervise your children at all times and just make sure you know where they are and keep an eye on them, as any parent would do,” he said. “It’s unusual, especially in a public place.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
