Residents said their neighbourhood feels safer now that there's been an arrest in the cases of young girls being lured into the woods.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested Saturday in relation to two recent incidents at Bellevue Manor Park in Ottawa's west end, where police said a teenager was using ice cream and candy to try and lure young girls away.
Parent Mike Greene said he's happy there's been an arrest made.
"(I'm) happy, relieved a bit because all these guys here are now safe," he said. "They come everyday and play here."
On April 25, police said an 11-year-old girl was inappropriately touched after a teenager offered her ice cream.
Then on Tuesday, a young man was trying to lure an eight-year-old girl with candy when an adult intervened, according to police.
Greene's daughter Brook said she was playing with friends in her backyard in April when a teenage boy approached them too.
"He just told us to go up over to that fence there," she said, adding that she ran to get help when it happened.
Some parents said they're still cautious around the park, while others said they trust the neighbourhood.
"It's a safe neighbourhood, a lot of good people, they take care of everyone around here," said Jonathan West. "We know all the parents and . . . we still let the kids roam by themselves."
Mike Greene said it's hard to always keep watch over the neighbourhood kids when a group of them are together.
"All these kids come to play with my kids and hang out," he said. "It's hard to watch a lot of kids and worry about them."
Police said they're still reminding parents to be careful with their children and talk to them about these kinds of situations.
The 14-year-old boy was in court Sunday to face charges including sexual assault and abduction of a person under the age of 14.
His name is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, and there is a publication ban on the proceedings.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Katie Griffin
