HOLLAND, Mich.-- The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office says a man suspected of recording a woman using the restroom at a Meijer in Holland has been arrested.
Captain Mark Bennett says that an 18-year-old Holland Township man was taken into custody without incident at about 7:00 p.m. He is currently being held in the Ottawa County Jail, pending charges.
The victim involved in the incident, who didn't wish to be identified, spoke with FOX 17 on Friday. She says she feels ashamed and embarrassed for what happened. Also, she's scared to use public restrooms in the future.
"I had to use the lady’s restroom, so I went in there and there was someone in the middle stall, so you could go to the left or right," said the woman. "Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a hand come down, like they were balancing themselves and I thought, why is somebody bending over that far to balance themselves? Then I saw the cellphone come down and it was pointed in my direction."
The woman said the phone was right next to her pointing up at her.
"I’m going, this can’t be, please tell me I’m not seeing what I’m seeing," said the woman. "I was a little nervous because I thought, what if I’m wrong? I’m going to feel like a fool, and I just was just like, I can’t believe it."
The woman went and got a store employee. They waited for a manager to go in to the bathroom to check.
"The store director was a female and she went into the bathroom," said the woman. "Two minutes later she came out and said, 'it’s a man'.”
She says the suspect claimed his phone didn’t take pictures. When they threatened to call the police, the suspect took off running. Luckily, the man was caught on surveillance camera.
"I’m embarrassed, I’m ashamed," said the woman. "I feel horrible, I feel violated. I was so upset.”
The woman says the suspect likely was waiting in the bathroom for his victims to come to him.
"I think his agenda was, I hate to say this, but to get his jollies and I don’t know what he was going to do with the pictures, if it was a dare or what, but I think he was there for exactly that.”
Now, she says she thinks twice before using public restrooms.
"I never gave it a thought when I went into a restroom," said the woman. "Now, I look at the stalls and if the one in the middle’s closed, I’m not going in. I get the jitters when I go in there right now because it’s so new and I’ll look at their feet. If you think it’s guys’ shoes, it probably is.”
Anyone with any further information should call Silent Observer at 1-877-88-SILENT or tips can be sent to mosotips.com.
