Temple Volunteer Arrested for Molestation

August 8, 2007, 5:18 PM PDT

Authorities were seeking other possible victims today of a man who was arrested for allegedly assaulting seven children attending a summer school program at the Thai Temple in North Hollywood.

Chalearmchai Nopthaisong, 41, was arrested July 31 and booked on suspicion of kidnapping and lewd acts on a child, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. He remains in custody on a no-bail immigration hold, police said.

Nopthaisong worked as a janitor at the temple, police said.

According to police, investigators learned of the assaults when one of the students -- a 7-year-old girl -- told her mother that Nopthaisong had "locked her in a room and taken inappropriate pictures of her body."

The woman alerted the Thai Temple head monk and police. During the course of the investigation, detectives discovered six other victims ranging in age from 4 to 8, police said.

Other possible victims were urged to call the LAPD.
Copyright © 2007, The Associated Press

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