14-Year-Old Groped at Vista Panda Express Shares Story

A 14-year-old girl groped by a man as she waited in line at a Vista Panda Express bravely shared her story with NBC 7 Thursday.She’s sharing her story just one day after the incident in hopes it will give others courage to speak up. San Diego Deputy Accused of Lewd Acts on Child The girl said she was checking out the food when a man walked up to her and leaned in real close, grabbed her and ran out of the restaurant. By the time she could turn around, the man was nearly out the door. He ran to his car that was parked right outside and drove off.”I was shocked that a man his age would do that,” she said. Zahau’s Boyfriend Testifies in Wrongful Death Lawsuit She immediately called her mom and told her to come pick her up.Her mother said she is not happy with how the restaurant handled the situation, saying that when she arrived at the restaurant 20 minutes after the incident, the manager still hadn’t called 911. Marine Could Face Murder Charge in Fatal Stabbing of Fellow Recruit The victim said she asked the manager to call 911 but he refused, saying their corporate office did not give permission due to privacy concerns for the minor.In a statement to NBC 7, Panda Express denied that the explanation aligns with their company policy.”We take the safety of our guests very seriously at Panda Express and do call the authorities if requested by our guests or if our associates see an incident.”The restaurant chain said it would do “everything we can to cooperate with the authorities as they further their investigation.”The mother said the area is a popular hangout spot for local kids. She’s is worried something like what happened to her daughter could happen again.“There is a predator that needs to be held responsible,” the mother said. “For all I know, he could have been held responsible last night, had they taken the correct steps.”The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is reviewing surveillance footage, but hasn’t released suspect description yet.The victim said she is leaning on the stories of the women from the “Me too” movement as she tries to move forward from all of this.Photo Credit: NBC 7
Source: NBC San Diego