Lollipop’s Playland Penrith: Predator remains on the run
After spending more than two days speaking to witnesses, viewing CCTV footage and investigating the scene at Lollipop’s Playland Penrith, child abuse detectives are not able to reveal if they are closing in on a suspect in a horrific child abuse case.
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Child abuse investigators have spent days pouring through CCTV from the children’s play centre where a two-year-old girl was sexually attacked – but if detectives have found anything at all they’re staying silent.
Police were called to the busy Lollipop’s Playland in Penrith just after midday on Sunday after the toddler was found distressed in a storage area.
Her frantic mother had been searching for 20 minutes but it wasn’t until another child found the girl that the horrible reality became clear.
Paramedics, and later doctors, concluded her injuries were consistent with sexual assault.
Officers from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes squad, on Tuesday, spoke with parents who were at the childcare centre when the attack occurred.
The massive publicity around the case, The Daily Telegraph understands, prompted many people to reach out to officers with pieces of potentially vital information.
But after 48 hours spent combing through security camera footage NSW Police have yet to say if they have a suspect for the horrific crime.
The Lollipop’s is located in a small and quiet industrial area but both the front and rear entrances appeared to be covered by CCTV cameras.
It appears unlikely a predator would be able to snatch the child or lead her out of the venue without being spotted by the crowds of parents or cameras.
But sources close to the investigation say nothing has jumped out to the investigators who spent Tuesday continuing to review the tapes from the inside of the playland.
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It’s expected detectives will have viewed the tapes in their entirety by Wednesday.
The girl at the centre of the case, and her mother, are being given regular updates by police and counselling from mental health services.
Locals were anxious about the possibility a monster remains on the loose in Sydney’s suburbs.
“Evil walks amongst us,” one wrote on Facebook as the centre announced it was reopening on Tuesday.
“Don’t take your eyes off your kids ever. Thinking of you all.”
While the playground was reopened for business, the parents and children stayed away, the business sitting almost completely empty all day.
Detectives arrived just before lunch, they were among the only visitors.
Cynthia Silva was unaware of Sunday’s tragedy when she arrived with her two sons.
“It scares me of course, because the girl was just two years old and my son is two, so i’ll be keeping a close eye,” Ms Silva said.
“It’s a real pity … we always go to Lollipop’s, usually Castle Hill but we thought we’d come over here today with the bad weather,” she said.
Ms Silva was the only parent The Daily Telegraph saw entering the business since it opened at 9:30 this morning.
A woman arrived Tuesday morning to show her support to the managers of the business with a bundle of flowers.
“I’m a mother myself, and my kids are adults now but I just wanted to let them know we were thinking of them,” the woman, who gave her name as Maria said.
Many other parents vowed to return as a small minority pointed fingers at the business itself accusing it of not having sufficient security.
“There is only one person to blame, the predator,” one woman wrote.
“This vile creature’s doing will haunt many people for the rest of their lives. We will be back, we will support you.”
