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Man Arrested For Allegedly Stalking, Photographing Girl In Haverhill Store

HAVERHILL (CBS) - Haverhill police have arrested a man who they say followed a young girl and her mother around a supermarket before assaulting the child.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports

Man Wanted For Stalking 7-Year-Old Girl In Haverhill Store

Haverhill Police Lt. Robert Pistone said the man spent about 20 minutes stalking the 7-year-old victim inside a Market Basket Monday afternoon before approaching her.

"He gets close enough when the mother's attention is drawn away and he leaned down and appears he took his cell phone and snapped a picture with the cell phone underneath the 7-year-old's skirt," Lt. Pistone said Wednesday.

The mother reported the incident to store management, who called police.

The 38-year-old Haverhill man, who police would not identify, is currently charged with three attempted crimes: Indecent assault and battery on a person under 14, posing a child for a sexual act, and photographing or electronic surveying a partially nude person.

Detectives planned to execute a search warrant at the suspect's house Wednesday night.

The suspect will be arraigned Thursday morning in Haverhill District Court.

Police say they received numerous tips after media reports showed the video of the man following the mother and her child on Wednesday.

Haverhill Stalking Suspect
Haverhill police say this man is Steven Hager. (Image courtesy: Haverhill Police)
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