A 71-year-old Hallandale Beach man was arrested Tuesday after he molested an 8-year-old girl, police said Wednesday.
Felix Manuel Hernandez is charged with one count of lewd or lascivious molestation in the incidents that took place sometime last year, Hallandale Beach Police said.
Hernandez, who appeared in court before Broward Circuit Judge John Hurley on Wednesday, is being held without bond at the Broward County Main Jail, online jail records showed. A public defender appeared beside him in bond court.
No one answered the door at Hernandez's Hallandale Beach apartment Wednesday.
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According to a Hallandale Beach complaint affidavit, Hernandez touched the girl inappropriately over her clothing on four separate occasions, though the girl was only able to articulate two of the incidents.
Officials said they have not been able to ascertain the exact dates.
Hernandez initially said nothing happened between himself and the victim but then admitted there may have been times when he may have accidentally inappropriately touched her, the affidavit said.
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He later changed his story again, and said there was one time where he and the victim were alone in a house and he reached behind and accidentally touched her, the affidavit said.
However, the victim told police it wasn't an accident, the affidavit said.
"He changed his story several times and at one point he admitted to one instance, that's the reason we only have one charge at this time, he admitted to one particular incident where he did say that he improperly touched her, over the clothing," Hallandale Beach Police Major Tom Honan said.
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