Man arrested in connection with ‘serious assault’ of girl in Latrobe city park

LATROBE, Pa. — A man wanted in a serious assault at a Latrobe park two weeks ago has been taken into custody.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >> Latrobe police investigating ‘serious assault’ of female near St. Clair Street Park

Kayla White has been much more protective of her little sisters since a reported assault at Saint Clair Park in Latrobe, not far from her house.

“We just told them that we’re going to stay away for a little bit because of a bad guy and we don’t want anything bad to happen and we want to have a fun summer,” White said.

One of the cameras on her house captured the suspect and helped police make an arrest in the case.

“Just watching on the camera, [he’s] looking around left to right, just weird. Could’ve been anyone,” White explained.

Malachi Boone, 20, was charged Monday, accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

The victim’s account is disturbing and graphic.

Police said the girl only knew Boone from Snapchat and agreed to meet him at the park.

According to police, he told her he was 15.

“When he arrived, it was obvious to her he was considerably older than that, which started, I guess, as a consensual encounter quickly escalated to a non-consensual where she was sexually assaulted,” Latrobe Police Detective Sergeant Mike Wigand said.

Police said Boone assaulted her in the woods.

Investigators did not have much to go on initially, but surveillance video from the neighborhood cracked the case.

“We then obtained video surveillance over the next several days from 5-7 houses in the area that identified a black male on a bicycle riding to the park and leaving the park during the time frame of the assault,” Wigand said.

Latrobe Police actually encountered Boone later that same day on another call.

Their body cam video captured him wearing the same clothes and backpack, riding his bike.

“Definitely weird to think about, what could’ve happened, I’m definitely relieved,” White said.

Boone was arraigned and put in jail without bail.

He is due in court next week.

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