

Chris Fox, CP24.com





A stay-at-home dad who allegedly sexually assaulted four young girls in the Etobicoke area and engaged another in sexually based conversations while his 11-month-old child was in his car is facing charges.

Police say the alleged offences took place between April 1 and October 27 in the Rathburn Road and Renforth Drive area.

In each of the incidents, police allege the suspect drove up alongside the victim at around the time schools in the area were being dismissed and asked them for directions. The suspect is then alleged to have engaged the victims in a sexually explicit conversation before sexually assaulting them.

According to police, the suspect’s alleged victims were between the ages of 13 and 16.

Police are continuing to investigate whether or not the suspect has other victims.

He is known to approach girls while driving either a white 2010 Hyundai Sonata or a blue 2014 Mazda CX5, according to police.

“I definitely believe there are other victims,” Det. Dan Luff told reporters on Tuesday morning. “He has been doing this at least on a monthly basis since April, so I have no reason to disbelieve that there would be more.”

Suspect used social media to meet one victim

In addition to the alleged offences in the Rathburn Road and Renforth Drive area, police also say that the suspect used social media to initiate an online relationship with a 15-year-old girl. During the course of that year-long relationship, police say the victim sent the suspects some photos, which he in turn used to coerce her into meeting him in person in July, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her.

The suspect used the aliases Malik Gavin D Sweeti and Gavin D Sweetie online.

“Because of the incident in July, I believe the encounters were escalating. In that one there we had the further charge of invitation to sexual touching,” Luff said.

Fathi Rashid, 29, of Toronto, is charged with four counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual interference, four counts of criminal harassment and one count of invitation to sexual touching.

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