Pregnant Woman's Belly Touched By Stranger At Joliet Walmart: JPD

JOLIET, IL — A 27-year-old Crest Hill man surrendered to the Joliet Police Department on Thursday in connection with criminal charges of battery and disorderly conduct. Police say John Novak touched the belly of a pregnant woman inside the Joliet Walmart store, asking her questions about her pregnancy, on Oct. 23.

The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. at 2424 West Jefferson St. Police learned that a man approached the woman in one of the store aisles and began touching her stomach while asking her questions about her pregnancy.

"The contact was unsolicited by the victim," Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English said. "It was learned that the suspect was unknown to the victim."

The suspect ran out of the store as the victim notified a store employee, police noted.

During the investigation, detectives identified Novak as the suspect in the crime, police reports show. Then, on Thursday, Novak turned himself in at the Joliet Police Department west facility on Caton Farm Road.

Novak was processed and released on an I-Bond, English told Patch.