A man posing as a child care worker has been arrested after he allegedly approached a teenager waiting for the bus, lured her into his vehicle and sexually assaulted her, police say.
Derrick Dwayne Thompson, 57, was taken into custody on January 15 following a weeks-long investigation that began following the November 30 incident.
According to a news release issued by the Los Angeles Police Department, Thompson was driving a black Chevrolet Suburban with a sign on the door that read “CJ Angels Child Care,” when he pulled up to where the teen was waiting for the bus.
Thompson then told the 15-year-old girl that he “worked for Child Services and offered the victim a ride home,” police said.
“Believing the suspect worked for Child Services, the victim entered the vehicle. The suspect drove to a parking lot, told the victim to get into the back seat, then removed the child care business sign from the vehicle door."
Thompson then got into the backseat of the car with the girl and sexually assaulted her, police said. Additional details about where exactly the assault happened were not provided.
After being arrested by the LAPD, the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office then charged Thompson with forceable rape, sodomy by use of force with a victim 14 or older and sexual penetration by force on a minor victim 14 or older.
Thompson remains behind bars without bail.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims and have released a photo of Thompson and the sign he had on the Suburban in hopes others will come forward.
