Accuser's mother speaks Only on 2

RIVERSIDE, Ohio (WDTN) - The accuser's mother says it happened at a busy Big Lots on Woodman Drive last Saturday evening around 6. She didn't want her face shown to protect her child.

"Before I knew it, my daughter came up to me and told me a man had approached her and bent down and grabbed her behind and we went to inform that management and preceded to call the police," says the mother.

A tip and a sketch of the suspect led police to 64-year-old Vern Gray. They charged him with gross sexual imposition for that incident.

Police say he is responsible from trying to coax a different child at the same store Tuesday, so Gray is also charged with child enticement.

Gray was convicted of gross sexual imposition of a juvenile 13 years ago.

This mother says her children are now afraid to go anywhere in public.

"It's so scary and I think it affects them. We drove by the place where this happened and I think it's just going to be forever imprinted in their mind that their is such grossness and hate in the world," she explains.

And she has a message for other parents.

"Keep your children with you. I mean that's all I can say is all it takes is one second for you to turn around or be distracted by your phone or a person or something that you're shopping for, especially with the holidays and stuff coming up. just don't think it's not going to happen to you because once it does, there's nothing you can do to make yourself feel better," she comments.

Police say they don't know if there are any other victims. If you have any other information, call Crime Stoppers at 222-7867.

Gray is expected to be in court Tuesday. He's being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300,000 bond.