A girl at a St. Paul elementary school noticed a suspicious man lurking near their playground earlier this week and told some of her classmates.
As the man started heading in her direction, her friends huddled around her, and the man ran away, authorities say.

That’s part of the narrative included in a criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County District Court on Thursday. Yeng Houa Moua was charged with one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct as well as additional counts of making threats of violence and fifth-degree drug possession for his alleged actions Wednesday evening.
Police officers went to Phalen Lake Elementary at 1089 Cypress St. about 6 p.m. after receiving a report that a man with his hands down his pants had been spotted watching children on the playground, the complaint said.
A 10-year-old student told officers he saw a man thrusting his hips at kids, prompting him and others to approach the man. The man threatened to rape and kill the students if they got closer, the complaint said.
A girl at the school reported a similar interaction.
The 13-year-old said a friend of hers noticed a man’s suspicious behavior by the playground and told others as he started walking toward her, the complaint said.
The children reportedly formed a group around the girl, causing the man to flee, charges say.
As the kids followed, she said, he threatened to rape and kill them, according to the complaint.
When officers arrived at the scene, the kids directed them to Moua, who was walking several blocks away, the complaint said.
SECOND CASE LINKED TO MOUA
The 31-one-year-old St. Paul man allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior shortly beforehand at Farnsworth Aerospace Upper Campus, which is located just blocks away from Phalen Lake Elementary, authorities say.
In that incident, a teacher called police to report that a man had approached a different 13-year-old girl standing outside the school and rubbed his face against her breasts, charges say.
The teacher said he’d seen the same man walk into the school earlier claiming to be looking for a friend.
The student told officers she’d noticed the man staring at her outside before he walked up, placed his hand on her hip, and rubbed his face across her chest, legal documents say.
The girl said the man was breathing heavily, and she pushed him away.
Video surveillance of the incident captured by the school shows Moua engaging in the conduct, charges say.
MOUA SAYS HE WAS ON DRUGS
Police found a plastic wrapper containing a white crystalline substance on Moua during his arrest, which later proved to be methamphetamine, the complaint said.
When later interviewed by officers, Moua said he didn’t remember engaging in incidents at either school and said he’d been awake for days on methamphetamine, marijuana and alcohol, the complaint said.
When police described his alleged actions, Moua said he was shocked and ashamed, charges say.
His criminal record includes convictions for burglary, theft, disorderly conduct, check forgery, giving false information to police, and fifth-degree drug possession.
No attorney for Moua was listed Friday in court records.
POLICE: TELL ADULT WHEN YOU SEE SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE
While none of the students at Phalen Lake Elementary ended up getting hurt, children should not pursue someone engaging in suspicious behavior, St. Paul police spokesman, Sgt. Mike Ernster, said Friday afternoon.
“You don’t know what people have on them. You don’t know if they have a weapon,” Ernster said.
Instead, he advised kids to tell a trusted adult nearby when they see something or someone suspicious.
“(That person) can then make sure everyone is safe and then call police and report it so we know what is going on,” he said.
A spokesman for the St. Paul school district said a letter was sent home to parents about what happened.