13-Year-Old Boy Sexually Assaulted at Glendale Donut Shop; Police Seek Witnesses

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Witnesses Sought by Glendale Police After Man Sexually Assaults 13-Year-Old Boy

Sep 14, 2022

Glendale Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating two witnesses who intervened when a man sexually assaulted a 13-year-old boy at a local donut shop.

13-Year-Old Boy Sexually Assaulted at Glendale Donut Shop; Police Seek Witnesses

On the morning of August 31, the boy and his family were reportedly placing an order at Yum Yum Donuts, located in the 600 block of W. Glenoaks Blvd. in Glendale. A male suspect, later identified as 36-year-old Farid Lalezarzadeh of Glendale, was also inside the location, according to a police department press release.

As the family was paying for their breakfast at the counter, police say Lalezarzadeh “walked behind the victim and pinched him on the buttocks.” CBS News reported that at about the time the assault took place, Lalezarzadeh used a hand sanitizer station located at the counter.

A male witness who saw the incident take place immediately stepped in to protect the child. The witness and his friend then confronted the suspect, who immediately left the location, Glendale Police officials confirmed.

“As he walks up, he’s gonna use hand sanitizer as a ruse to get close to the kid, cause the kid happens to be standing next to the sanitizer pump, with his left hand he appears to grope or pinch the child’s butt. Then you see the child react,” Glendale Police Department’s Victor Jackson told CBS News.

Authorities were contacted shortly after the sexual assault involving the teenage boy occurred, and Glendale Police Detectives eventually identified and located Lalezarzadeh.

“This type of thing can’t go without prosecution,” Jackson said to CBS. “The family deserves justice and I think everyone can understand why.”

The sexual assault suspect was arrested for Lewd and Lascivious Acts with a Child under 14 years old.

Police are currently searching for the two Good Samaritan patrons of Yum Yum Donuts who confronted Lalezarzadeh before he fled the scene.

“We are looking for the two males that stepped in to protect the child. Their witness statements are crucial to the successful prosecution of the suspect,” police said in a public statement.

Additionally, police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying any additional victims who may have been harmed by the suspect in a previous incident, noting that he may have committed similar acts in the past.

The owner of Yum Yum Donuts told CBS News that she recognized the suspect, as he had patronized her store on previous occasions. The shop owner indicated that she had never run into any problems prior to the August 31 incident involving the 13-year-old boy, however.

Glendale Police Department officials are urging anyone who was a witness to the Yum Yum Donuts crime – or similar crimes involving Farid Lalezarzadeh – to please contact them by calling 818-548-4911.

For anyone who wishes to remain anonymous, the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers may be contacted at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). You can also use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 MOBILE APP” or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.

How Common is Child Sexual Abuse?

The National Center for Victims of Crime reports that the prevalence of child sexual abuse is actually difficult to determine due to a lack of reporting. Experts, however, tend to agree that the incidence rate is actually far greater than what is reported to authorities.

In terms of child sexual abuse statistics, studies by David Finkelhor, Director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center, indicate that:

  • One in five girls and one in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse.
  • Self-report studies show that 20% of adult females and 5-10% of adult males recall a childhood sexual assault or sexual abuse incident.
  • During a one-year period in the U.S., 16% of youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized.
  • Over the course of their lifetime, 28% of U.S. youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized.
  • Children are most vulnerable to CSA between the ages of 7 and 13.

A 2003 National Institute of Justice report found that three out of four adolescents who have been sexually assaulted were victimized by someone they knew well.

California’s Child Sexual Abuse Law: AB 218

Signed into law by Governor Newsom in 2019, California Assembly Bill 218 (AB 218) officially took effect on January 1, 2020. The bill offers survivors of childhood sexual abuse an opportunity to secure justice for a past crime – regardless of how long ago it occurred.

AB 218’s three-year lookback window clause effectively pauses the statute of limitations on all childhood sexual abuse civil lawsuits until December 31, 2022. Accordingly, any survivor of child sex abuse may now file a claim to recover financial compensation through the end of the year. The lookback window applies even to crimes that occurred several decades ago, allowing survivors an unprecedented opportunity to obtain the justice they deserve.

However, the deadline for filing claims under AB 218 is December 31, 2022. This means that once the deadline passes, survivors who did not file claims will likely be left without any legal recourse and unable to recover financial damages. This is particularly true for crimes that occurred outside of the traditional 10-year statute of limitations.

Dordulian Law Group strongly encourages all survivors of childhood sexual abuse to seek the justice they deserve and file claims as soon as possible. By filing an AB 218 civil lawsuit against your perpetrator, you may be eligible to recover damages for things like:

  • Emotional harm
  • Psychological trauma
  • Lost wages
  • Diminished capacity to earn a living
  • Hospital or medical care costs (past and future)
  • Counseling or therapy costs (past and future)
  • Punitive damages
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Pain and suffering

Dordulian Law Group’s (DLG) child sexual abuse attorneys are available 24/7 to answer any questions you have about your rights under the law and to help you file a timely claim in pursuit of maximum financial compensation.

Contact a California Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer Today for a Free Consultation

DLG is a top-rated and trusted child sexual abuse firm based in Glendale, California. We represent survivors throughout the Golden State and across the nation, providing a unique type of legal representation which includes a four-tiered team of professionals known as the SAJE Team.

DLG clients have 24/7 access to the full SAJE Team support network:

  • Sam Dordulian, a former sex crimes prosecutor, leads a team of proven sexual abuse lawyers.
  • Two licensed and nationally accredited in-house victim advocates who are dedicated to helping survivors.
  • A licensed in-house clinical therapist with over 15 years of experience who is available for mental health needs.
  • A retired LAPD sex crimes detective with over 30 years of experience investigates every sexual abuse case.

DLG’s child sexual abuse lawyers recently secured a $2 million settlement under AB 218 for a client who was harmed as a child. It’s one of many examples of how survivors of childhood sexual abuse have obtained justice on their own terms under California AB 218.

Some additional DLG sex crime victories obtained recently include:

For a free and confidential consultation regarding your childhood sexual abuse civil claim, contact a member of DLG’s SAJE Team today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM. Our sex crime attorneys have helped survivors recover more than $200,000,000 in settlements and verdicts while maintaining a 98% success record.

If you experienced a sexual assault incident, don’t wait to file a claim. Contact our expert attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

And with DLG, you pay nothing until we’ve successfully secured a maximum financial damages award for your claim. There is never any upfront costs or out-of-pocket expenses to worry about. If we don’t win, you don’t pay – it’s just that simple.

Contact us today to set up a free and confidential consultation with a member of DLG’s SAJE Team.

Author

Samuel Dordulian

Samuel Dordulian, founder

Sam Dordulian is an award-winning sexual abuse lawyer with over 25 years' experience helping survivors secure justice. As a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for L.A. County, he secured life sentences against countless sexual predators. Mr. Dordulian currently serves on the National Leadership Council for RAINN.




Go See Sam