Man wanted for sexually assaulting woman with baby in a stroller in Chantilly

A search began Tuesday night for a man who sexually assaulted a young woman who was with a baby in a stroller, and authorities believe the suspect may have attacked another woman in the same neighborhood in May. 

The latest assault happened at around 11:30 a.m. Monday in a community called the Meadows of Chantilly when the 23-year-old victim and her mother went to visit a friend.

As the mother went to the door, her daughter waited on the street with a baby in a stroller. That’s when the man attacked, putting her in a chokehold and sexually assaulting her. 

The mother saw what was happening and ran toward the man, chasing him down the street. 

Carolina Salazar was the friend who the victim’s mother had come to see. Salazar said that right after the attack, the victim knocked on her door seeking help, terrified for her mother.

“This daughter of my friend, she was very scared, crying, and she told me a man touched her and her mom went running after him,” Salazar explained. 

The man escaped, though not before he was captured running away on security camera video.

Now Fairfax County police are trying to determine if the same man was responsible for a burglary and sexual assault on May 18, just two blocks away. Authorities shared a composite sketch created with that victim’s help. 

“The physical description of that suspect was very similar to the description in this case,” Sgt. Jacob Pearce said. “So detectives are investigating and very curious to find out if this is the same suspect from both cases. We are doing everything we can from the police side to try to find out who this person is and we are absolutely asking for community help to identify this person.”

Police dropped off flyers at the many homes in the neighborhood, hoping someone might recognize the suspect. They’ve also stepped up patrols as detectives work to develop leads.

Authorities believe the suspect is in his 40s. He’s worn a surgical mask in both alleged attacks.