Peeping Tom suspect took photos of 9-year-old girl in bathroom of Southfield Michaels

Suspect charged with recording video of girl in store bathroom

A Detroit man is accused of taking pictures and videos of a 9-year-old girl in the bathroom with her mother at a Michaels in Southfield.

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - A man was charged after police say he took pictures of a 9-year-old girl in the bathroom of a store in Southfield with her mother in the next stall over.

The backstory:

The 9-year-old noticed a man hand holding a cellphone over her stall inside Michael's Arts & Crafts store. That suspect, Dale Frye, faced a judge today.

The 45-year-old Detroit man was seen on video being arraigned after police say he entered the Michael’s store at Telegraph and 12 Mile.

He then allegedly took pictures of the young girl while she and her mother used the restroom late last month.

Police say the mother and daughter were in separate stalls when the child looked up and saw the suspect’s hand holding a cell phone. She then shouted for her mom as the suspect ran off.

Investigators released store security footage showing the suspect walking in, wearing the same sweater police body cameras captured him in during his arrest at a house on Northlawn Street in Detroit.

The mother and daughter do not want their faces shown but did speak out at a press conference held by Southfield Police today.

We’ll began with the 9-year-old.

"I feel happy that they catched him," the girl said.

"You always think that you are doing all that you can to protect your kids and something so out of the ordinary, so unplanned happens - it’s like what do you do?" said the mother. "You have to respond quickly and rise to the occasion and don’t let fear be a factor."

Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said a search warrant was carried out on Nov. 4 at Frye's home.

"We were able to collect nine phones, two computers and some firearms," Barren said. "From that, we were able to take the suspect's phone and determine through phone pinging as a third identification, that this person was at Michael’s and yes, the phone pinged to the location as well."

Police say they used video evidence in the store and cross-referenced it with facial recognition technology and information leading to the suspect's car which was verified to be at the Michael's at the time of the crime.

Southfield’s Police Chief handed awards to the 9-year-old girl and her mother for the courage they showed in getting help right away.

Barren said there is concern that there are other victims out there. Anyone with more information about this suspect or who thinks they or their child was targeted by him, are urged to call Southfield police at 248-796-5500.