Editor’s note: This story contains sexually graphic details involving children that readers may find disturbing.
A man in Prince George’s County, Maryland, has been charged with sexually assaulting a boy and a girl he was teaching to swim.
A relative of two children who were taking swim lessons at BeechTree Community Center in Upper Marlboro contacted police on July 22, saying that a man they hired to teach the children how to swim had sexually assaulted them, according to a Prince George’s County police news release.
The children are a 7-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. The relative said it happened during the private lessons.
Police arrested and charged Tyler Wang’Ombe-Gichuru, 25, with two counts of second-degree rape, assault and multiple additional sexual offenses.
The Silver Spring man is being held without bond.
According to charging documents, after their swim lesson, the children told their father in the car that their swim teacher had touched them inappropriately. At the time, the swim instructor was following the family home because he had offered to babysit them after their swim lesson.
The 7-year-old boy told his father, according to charging documents, that Wang’Ombe-Gichuru asked him to go to the bathroom with him. While in the bathroom, Wang’Ombe-Gichuru performed oral sex on the boy, according to the documents.
The 5-year-old girl told her father that while in the pool, Wang’Ombe-Gichuru held her by her chest and lower body, moved her swimwear to the side and used his hand to repeatedly penetrate her vagina and anus, according to charging documents.
The boy told his father that Wang’Ombe-Gichuru also touched his genitals and buttocks under his clothing while he was underwater in the pool, according to the charging documents.
He told the boy “don’t tell anyone, this is a secret, don’t tell grandma or your dad or mom,” according to the documents.
When they arrived home, the children’s father tried to confront Wang’Ombe-Gichuru but he fled the scene, according to the documents.
The family of the children said they met Wang’Ombe-Gichuru at a trampoline park where he worked in Laurel and arranged for the lessons.
Police said the investigation is still active. The department is asking anyone with information to contact the Prince George’s County Police Department.
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