Authorities are searching for a man accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl during a visit in October to the Children's Museum of Houston, according to multiple reports.
Police on Monday issued warrants for the arrest of Joseph Anderson, 40, on two counts of indecency with a child.
Anderson was a friend of the victim's mother and knew the girl, Houston police Officer Lee Donovan told KTRK.
Anderson and his girlfriend took their two biological children and three of their children's friends to the Children's Museum of Houston on Oct. 16. Police said Anderson took his child's 11-year-old friend to the second floor of the museum, where he sexually assaulted her.
Two people saw the assault and reported it to museum staff, the Houston Chronicle reported. Staff took the girl to a private room, where she reported the incident.
Anderson left the museum after the attack.
"We have video of him fleeing the scene (and going) straight to his vehicle, and we have not been able to have contact with him since," Donovan told KPRC.
Police believe that the 11-year-old girl might not be Anderson's only victim, although no others were immediately known.
"We do believe, because of how brazen this crime was and that it happened in such a public area with kids and parents, that there is a high probability that this could have happened to another child somewhere along the way," Donovan told KTRK.
In a statement Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Children's Museum of Houston thanked police and asked for the public's help in finding Anderson.
"The safety of our visitors at the Children's Museum of Houston is always our top priority, and we are deeply saddened by this incident between the suspect and a child he brought to the museum with his family," the spokesperson said.
