New Jersey man accused of sexually abusing a girl was found on highway

A New Jersey man faces multiple charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a “lost” child he saw running on a highway in Ocean County, officials said Wednesday.

Keith Hahn, 46, was arrested Tuesday at his home in Toms River after a multi-agency investigation into an incident involving a 14-year-old girl.

According to investigators, the disturbing incident occurred on Sunday.

Hahn was driving a white Jeep Grand Cherokee when he saw a 14-year-old girl “walking on Route 70 in Manchester Township when she became lost,” the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release.

Hahn allegedly stopped to speak with the victim, who asked him if he could drive her to the animal shelter in Toms River.

She got in the car and Hahn began driving, but instead of taking her to the shelter, he drove her to an unknown area and sexually assaulted her, prosecutors said. He then drove her to a Walmart store, where she exited the vehicle and ran home.

Later that day, the victim contacted the Manchester Township Police Department and reported that she had been sexually assaulted.

An investigation conducted by the prosecutor's special victim unit later revealed that Hahn – a registered sex offender – was the person who raped the teenager.

Hahn was arrested Tuesday and charged with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child and other crimes, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

He is being held in the Ocean County Jail pending his hearing.