WARNING: This story contains disturbing details.
A passerby intervened to stop a sexual assault against a 10-year-old girl in northern Manitoba earlier this week, RCMP say.
Pukatawagan RCMP received a report at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday that a man who was out for a walk in a wooded area stopped the sexual assault in progress.
The victim, a 10-year-old girl, was walking down a path when she was attacked by a person she did not know, police said in a Thursday news release.
When the passerby saw the attack, he tackled the attacker and helped free the child, RCMP said.
The attacker then threatened the civilian with a knife, but the passerby was able to get away and call for help.
The girl was later located at a nearby residence and taken to a Winnipeg hospital for treatment of her injuries, police said.
RCMP found and arrested the suspect, a 28-year-old man from the community.
He is charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and failing to comply with orders not to have any contact with a person under 16 unless supervised.
He remains in custody.
For anyone who has been sexually assaulted, there is support available through crisis lines and local support services via the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. If you’re in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.