A 46-year-old former employee of a day care facility for children with disabilities has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl, according to Tokyo police.
Takaya Goto, a resident of the city of Hachioji in western Tokyo, was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping for sexual purposes and committing statutory sexual acts, according to the Metropolitan Police Department¡¯s juvenile affairs division.?
Goto denied the allegations, saying he ¡°does not remember,¡± while also telling investigators that he is ¡°sexually attracted to preschoolers, kindergarteners and elementary school students.¡±
Police allege that in late February 2024, Goto took the girl, who at the time attended the day care in the city of Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, to his home, where he sexually assaulted the girl and took a video of it on a smartphone.
Goto had been in charge of transporting children to and from the facility and is suspected of taking the girl to his residence before dropping her off. He holds qualifications as a nursery and kindergarten teacher and had worked in multiple child-related jobs.?
The case came to light last November following a tip-off. Investigators said images believed to show other girls were also found, and they are looking into the possibility of additional victims.
The girl¡¯s mother was quoted as telling police, ¡°I only found out when I was questioned. I believe he committed the acts knowing my daughter has a disability and thinking he wouldn¡¯t be caught no matter what he did. I¡¯ll never forgive him.¡±
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