Man suspected of molesting 6-year-old

A Costa Mesa man was arrested on suspicion of molesting a 6-year-old Sunday, after the child’s parents left them alone with the man who was a family friend, police said Monday.

Todd Joseph Hebel, 27, was arrested on suspicion of sexual penetration with a foreign object with force at 10:25 a.m. Sunday in the 3000 block of Coolidge Avenue, according to Costa Mesa police arrest logs. Lt. Allen Huggins said the man was staying there with family friends and the parents left him alone with the child.

When they returned, parents called police and said Hebel had molested their child, police said. Authorities would not say whether the child was a boy or girl, or release other details.

Hebel is in custody at Orange County Jail. Prosecutors have not yet filed charges, officials said.

— Joseph Serna