A 28-year-old Winnipeg man is facing multiple charges, including sexual interference and forcible confinement, stemming from an incident at the Days Inn hotel in Portage la Prairie.

According to police, at 6 p.m., on Sept. 12, Portage la Prairie RCMP responded to a report at a local hotel indicating that an adult male had intentionally and inappropriately touched a 12-year-old girl.

Police say the investigation has determined that the girl was in the hotel pool with other youths when an adult male, unknown to the group, attempted to start a conversation by asking probing questions. At one point, the adult male allegedly grabbed the 12-year-old girl, pulled her towards him and refused to let her go despite her attempts to get away. The girl eventually managed to swim away and sought safety with the other youths in the pool and an adult was informed about what occurred and police were immediately called.

“These types of incidents can happen very quickly. It’s so important for parents to talk their kids about what to do if this happens,” said Corporal Julie Courchaine of the Manitoba RCMP. “In this instance, the young girl did everything right, she got away, sought safety and immediately informed a trusted adult. Her actions ensured that our officers could quickly make an arrest.”

A 28-year-old male from Winnipeg was arrested at the hotel in Portage la Prairie shortly after the incident and is facing multiple charges. The man has since been released from custody with a court date scheduled for Nov. 10 in Portage la Prairie. As charges have yet to be formally laid, the RCMP cannot name the individual.