Man pushes threatening note into restroom stall
An 8-year-old Morgan Hill boy waited inside a bathroom stall in the TJ Maxx department store Wednesday afternoon, waiting until his would-be molester outside the stall left so he could come out.
According to Morgan Hill Police Lt. Joe Samson, officers are investigating the incident, which he described as “a very unusual circumstance,” in the hopes of locating the man.
“The boy was with his mother, shopping in the store, and went into the bathroom,” said Sampson. “As he was in there, he noticed, in the space between the door and the doorjamb, a man standing outside the stall.”
The man slipped a note under the door, which told the boy he was going to be sexually assaulted, although not in those words, Sampson said
The man, whom the boy described as possibly Hispanic, did not say anything, Sampson said. The description of the man is not detailed because the boy could not see him well, and, Sampson said, the boy’s age and anxiety over the incident may have made it difficult for him to give a good description.
After the note was slipped under the door, the boy panicked, said Sampson, and decided to stay in the stall.
“He could see the guy standing right outside his stall, not moving, and he decided it was best to stay in the bathroom for a while,” Sampson said.
“It is not clear if someone else came into the bathroom or exactly what happened, but all of the sudden, the suspect ran out of the bathroom and ran out of the store. The boy then finished what he was doing and went out to join his mother.”
The boy did not report the 4:45pm incident to his mother or to store employees, Sampson said.
“He didn’t tell her until 6pm or so, when it came up in general conversation,” Sampson said. “Mom panicked, called the store and called us.”
The note that was slipped under the door and found by a TJ Maxx employee while cleaning will be held for evidence and may yield some fingerprints, Sampson said.
MHPD detectives may have another link to help them find the suspect, he said. On Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 6, a “similarly described male” was discovered masturbating in the children’s clothing section of TJ Maxx.
In that incident, the man ran out of the store when he was discovered, Sampson said, and the employees did not contact the police until the following day when the manager was in.
“We’re hoping that the suspects are one and the same,” he said.
The store staff has likely been briefed by management, Sampson said, and there may be a training session for store staff conducted by the department’s crime prevention officer.
The manager of TJ Maxx declined to comment, saying any comment must come from the store’s headquarters.
“The company has a policy not to comment on police matters. The company is cooperating fully with the police,” said the firm’s spokeswoman, who declined to identify herself.
Sampson said parents and caretakers need to be “vigilant” about where their children are and what they are doing.
Sampson’s advice to parents:
• Accompany children to the restroom
• Do not allow them to wander around the store by themselves
• Tell someone if they are approached by strangers
“In general, parents should be cautious,” he said. “This is a safe community, and these were unusual incidents, but anything can happen anywhere.”
TJ Maxx is at 401 Vineyard Town Center at Monterey Road. The store features brand-name merchandise at discounted prices.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at md****@mo*************.com or by phone at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202.
