Prosecutors: Man tried to commit suicide after sexually assaulting 4-year-old at Humboldt Park



Daniel Mangert



MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee man has been charged in connection with a sexual assault that happened in Humboldt Park near S. Howell and E. Oklahoma Avenue. The victim in this case is a 4-year-old boy.

Daniel Mangert, 36, of Milwaukee faces three felony charges:


    Online court records show he's being held on a bail amount of $20,000. He was taken into custody on Monday, Aug. 20.

    Prosecutors say Mangert sexually assaulted a 4-year-old boy at the park. A criminal complaint says the boy's mother went to get ice for his sister, who hurt herself playing, and while trying to do that, the boy needed to go to the bathroom. She told him to use the women's room, so that if he needed help, she could go in to help him. At this point, the complaint says Mangert told her he could show her where the men's room was -- and he continued to insist on showing her where it was. The mother said she was in a rush to get ice for the boy's sister, so she told him to go to the men's room. Eventually, she saw the boy exit the men's room, followed by Mangert.

    Humboldt Park



    "People should have seen it, there's so many people here," said Marissa Hill, visiting Humboldt Park.

    Humboldt Park



    A witness asked the mother if she knew that Mangert was in the stall with her son, and she said "no," and that she did not know Mangert. The mother then confronted Mangert, who said he was just helping the boy. During the confrontation, Mangert fled on a bicycle. After the confrontation, the complaint says the boy told his father what happened.

    The boy told investigators Mangert asked for a sex act in the bathroom, and touched him inappropriately.

    "I was surprised that it happened," said Denise Darling, watching her grandson at the park.

    Investigators soon learned Mangert "attempted suicide" by jumping from a cliff area at South Shore Park -- less than two miles from Humboldt Park.

    Humboldt Park



    The complaint says surveillance video showed Mangert entering and exiting the men's restroom. The boy is seen in the video running from the bathroom less than a minute before Mangert is seen exiting.

    Milwaukee County sheriff's officials said Mangert's criminal history includes a 2005 conviction for causing mental harm to a child and a 2006 conviction for bail jumping.

    In the 2005 case, he was sentenced to serve four years in prison and six years extended supervision. In the 2006 case, he was sentenced to serve one year in prison and one year extended supervision. In the 2005 case, he was originally charged with first degree sexual assault of a child.