A 24-year-old man is accused of hiding in a women’s bathroom stall at the Museum of Science and assaulting a 15-year-old girl from behind, according to the Suffolk DA’s Office.

The Somerville man, Yandri Hernandez, is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing after the alleged assault in the Museum of Science bathroom.

Hernandez has been charged with kidnapping of a child, strangulation or suffocation, and assault and battery.

Massachusetts State Police responded to the Museum of Science for an assault in a bathroom on Sunday at around 12:41 p.m.

The victim, a 15-year-old girl, reported being at the Museum of Science with her friend when she entered the bathroom on the first level as her friend waited outside.

The girl told police that when she left the bathroom stall to wash her hands, she felt a hand come around her face and cover her month. Initially she thought it was her friend but saw a man, later identified as Hernandez, behind her.

The girl said Hernandez did not speak, but tried to restrain her. The girl was able to scream and quickly ran out of the bathroom. Hernandez walked out of the bathroom immediately after the girl and left the scene.

A witness in the bathroom told police she noticed the first and last stalls occupied. When the witness entered her stall, she noticed black-and-white sneakers in an adjoining stall that appeared to be “abnormal in size for a female.”

The witness heard one occupant exit the stall followed by the other occupant. The witness then heard muffled screaming and some sort of physical altercation. Both parties were gone when the witness exited the stall.

Related Articles

Boston police seeking four young men suspected to be involved in assault, ‘major injury’ of man near Faneuil Hall

3 inmates charged for brutal Massachusetts prison attack

Boston Police search for Roxbury’s salty french fry flinger

New Bedford man bites cop, gets nine months in jail

Massachusetts prison guard was reportedly stabbed 12 times in ‘vicious attack… an attempted murder on a correction officer’

Video footage shows a man entering the museum at 10:58 a.m. wearing all-black clothing with black-and-white sneakers. The man is seen sitting in a lobby near the bathroom for about one hour before entering the bathroom. State Police investigators disseminated still images of the man to local police departments.

On Monday, State Police received a phone call from Cambridge Police, who were able to identify the man as Hernandez from a distinct tattoo on his left forearm.

Hernandez was spotted in Somerville the following day and placed into custody without incident by State Police.

“This is a terrifying incident for anyone, particularly for a teenager simply enjoying an outing with a friend at a popular destination,” Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden said in a statement. “This young woman’s description of her attacker, along with top-notch identification work based on the images disseminated by investigators, led to the defendant being spotted and arrested just days after the incident.”