BOTHELL, Wash. — A child was sexually assaulted in their home near Bothell by an unknown assailant, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office (SCSO).
Law enforcement is still searching for the suspect. They do not believe the child and the suspect knew each other, calling the incident "random."
Detectives learned that an unknown male entered a residence just outside of Bothell on Friday morning and entered the bedroom of an 11-year-old child. The man woke the child up and sexually assaulted them.
"Certainly, random sexual assaults are not common," said Courtney O'Keefe with the SCSO. "This is very scary for our community, and we want to get this individual identified and in custody as soon as we can.”
After a second child at the home woke up, the suspect fled the scene. It is unclear how long the man was inside the apartment.
Police say the man may have entered through the front door of the apartment, which was unlocked.
“I’m totally surprised about really what happened there," said neighbor Terrence Chim. "It just boggles my mind and I just hope that we have some information about it eventually and get a hold of that bad guy.”
Detectives are seeking help from anyone at the Bailey Farm Apartment Complex at 1225 183rd Street SE near Bothell who may have video surveillance footage captured between 10 p.m. Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff's office tip line at 425-388-3845. Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call 911.
Detectives with SCSO's Special Investigation Unit are handling this case.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.