Man charged for molesting girl aboard Disney Magic

[Jennifer777]

What's scary is child molesters don't usually get caught the first (or tenth) time they molest a child. Chances are, this is not his first victim, but rather the first victim to come forward. The age he targeted here makes it even more difficult because pre-teen girls are already self conscious about their bodies and many are beginning to show interest in boys. If he's approaching them and lavishing them with attention, some 11 - 13 yo girls could view him as a boyfriend and not the predator he is, thus reducing the number of children who see themselves as victims who may report him. I'm not saying this is what happened in this case, just saying this is an additional struggle with many cases involving pre/early-teen girls and older men and something worth talking about to your pre-teen daughter. I'm so glad this young lady had the courage to come forward!

 

[MommyinHonduras]

This story is sick and disturbing. I live in Honduras. Yes most people here are very poor, but the families who run this country are very wealthy. I know many families who go multiple times a year to the US to just shop. Anyway, there is very little one can do here if a man does things like this, it is very much part of the culture. Average age of first time moms is 15, and 11-14 is common. They are taken advantage of by men, not other young boys, and often friends and family members. He could be a repeat but had to record since most go unreported. Please sentence him in the US, sending back will not bring justice.

 

[Ofinn]

This story is sick and disturbing. I live in Honduras. Yes most people here are very poor, but the families who run this country are very wealthy. I know many families who go multiple times a year to the US to just shop. Anyway, there is very little one can do here if a man does things like this, it is very much part of the culture. Average age of first time moms is 15, and 11-14 is common. They are taken advantage of by men, not other young boys, and often friends and family members. He could be a repeat but had to record since most go unreported. Please sentence him in the US, sending back will not bring justice.

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[dclpluto]

This story is sick and disturbing. I live in Honduras. Yes most people here are very poor, but the families who run this country are very wealthy. I know many families who go multiple times a year to the US to just shop. Anyway, there is very little one can do here if a man does things like this, it is very much part of the culture. Average age of first time moms is 15, and 11-14 is common. They are taken advantage of by men, not other young boys, and often friends and family members. He could be a repeat but had to record since most go unreported. Please sentence him in the US, sending back will not bring justice.

Don't worry our prison system will take very good care of him. In the USA child rapists and molesters are the lowest of the low. He will have plenty of big poppas who will take very good care of him in jail and prison.

 

[C6PT7]

Horrific for that poor child. As Tonka's skipper said, I hope the bastard is dealt with SEVERELY by the authorities and imprisoned for a long time before being deported.

 

[insureman]

I still think it's strange that there is hardly any news when you google this story?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

this was not a kids club CM, he was a merchandising crew member who worked in the stores. There are no details released as to how or when the incident occurred, just that it appears he confessed and he has been arrested in Miami and held without bond (he is a foreign national and is likely considered a flight risk). so we do not know where, when or if he approached the victim or if it is alleged that he was able to get her alone somewhere. We know only that he is charged with 3 incidents. We don't know if they all occurred at the same time or over a period of time, whether it took place in a stateroom, in a hallway, in the store where he worked, in an elevator...we don't know any of this. We also do know that the victim is an 11-year-old female.

If there is a trial, the situation will become public knowledge. It's also possible he could plead guilty, which a prosecutor might accept to spare the victim from having to testify, among other reasons. It hasn't been noted whether the victim is a US citizen or not; if she is not, they may not be able to get her to testify. Then, the case would hinge on his confession, and possibly other relevant information like surveillance video if it is available.

Kids in the teen/tween clubs come and go as they please, it will be up to the parents to set down rules for their child, for example, to wait for the parents to arrive before they leave the club.

 

[stitchlovestink]

this was not a kids club CM, he was a merchandising crew member who worked in the stores. There are no details released as to how or when the incident occurred, just that it appears he confessed and he has been arrested in Miami and held without bond (he is a foreign national and is likely considered a flight risk). so we do not know where, when or if he approached the victim or if it is alleged that he was able to get her alone somewhere. We know only that he is charged with 3 incidents. We don't know if they all occurred at the same time or over a period of time, whether it took place in a stateroom, in a hallway, in the store where he worked, in an elevator...we don't know any of this. We also do know that the victim is an 11-year-old female.

If there is a trial, the situation will become public knowledge. It's also possible he could plead guilty, which a prosecutor might accept to spare the victim from having to testify, among other reasons. It hasn't been noted whether the victim is a US citizen or not; if she is not, they may not be able to get her to testify. Then, the case would hinge on his confession, and possibly other relevant information like surveillance video if it is available.

Kids in the teen/tween clubs come and go as they please, it will be up to the parents to set down rules for their child, for example, to wait for the parents to arrive before they leave the club.

That was the point I was trying to make but did a lousy job....

If your kids are in the older clubs you can make your own rules with them about their coming and going from said clubs but the CMs will not get involved in enforcing *your* rules. So if they decide to leave, they are free to do so and the CMs will not stop them. Just be aware of that.
And be willing to trust your kid(s) will abide by your rules.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

if all they have is his confession they may mount a defense, claiming the confession was false or coerced, but a lot of police departments do videotape such things. If there is video evidence or anything else corresponding, he may plead. There are a lot of persons commenting on news articles, etc. that they know the guy and they don't believe he would ever do anything like this, but on the other hand, he admitted doing it to the police in Miami. Some commenters are going so far as to speculate that he was set up by this family for money or a free cruise or so they can sue Disney. Currently there isn't any evidence of that either, and if that were the case, why would he admit to molesting the kid?

 

[Jennifer777]

I get why this guys friends and family would have a hard time believing this. You hear this almost every time someone is charged with molesting a child. it's a reprehensible act and it's hard to believe a seemingly "normal" person, someone you know and trust, could do such a thing. However, the police would not have brought charges against this man without interviewing and believing this 11yo girl. A confession alone isn't enough. She was likely interviewed for hours. Her family was likely interviewed for hours. They would have interviewed other crew members. The family would have had to agree to cooperate if the case goes to trial. This is a brutal, taxing process for the victims and it's highly unlikely an 11yo would be willing to subject herself to it for a free cruise or even money. =(

 

[MakiraMarlena]

We don't know anything of the sort as to whether they interviewed the kid or her family and did so for hours. His admitting it is a huge part of the case. we don't know at what point he admitted it either.

If the victim was not a US citizen (we don't know whether she is or not) they cannot compel her or her family to appear in court, which could be an issue for a trial if there is one, and his confession would be more important.

It is unlikely that such an accusation would be manufactured against a stranger for financial benefit, but people absolutely do crazy things.