Seattle homeless man arrested at Tent City 3 for alleged sexual assault of 5-year-old

A Seattle man living inside Tent City 3 was arrested Friday for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl, according to KOMO News.

The suspect was identified as Viengsavanh Boutdavong, a 46-year-old who was arrested by the Seattle Police Department (SPD).

SPD responded to reports of a man attempting to lure a child into his tent on Sept. 12, according to charging documents. Another Tent City resident witnessed the incident and told the child to return to her mother.

Officers arrived and learned that the child had returned to her mother. Both the child and her mother have been residents of Tent City 3 for approximately 2 weeks. Tent City 3 is a community of tents previously located in the Ravenna neighborhood and now held in the Mount Baker neighborhood.

Seattle homeless man allegedly sexually assaults child

The victim told SPD that she was touched by Boutdavong inappropriately, mentioning her private areas were in pain, and had been “touched by someone else’s private parts,” according to KOMO News.

The girl further explained that she had been inappropriately touched on Sept. 11 and 12.

Boutdavong was located inside his tent and matched the description provided by the child. The suspect was then taken into custody after the child confirmed he was the suspect.

The victim was taken to Seattle Children’s Hospital for a medical evaluation and to be administered a sexual assault kit.

Probable cause was determined to charge Boutdavong with investigation of first-degree rape of a child and kidnapping. The suspect was later booked into King County Jail.

Boutdavong first appeared in court on Sept. 13, where King County prosecutors requested the court to set bail at $750,000.

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