A Miami husband and wife are accused of molesting a 13-year-old girl who they met at church, police said. NBC6’s Cherney Amhara reports
A Miami husband and wife are accused of molesting and sexually battering a 13-year-old girl who they met at church, police said.
Edwin Erasmo Vasquez Vasquez, 50, and Yulian Jaqueline Garcia Castro, 39, fled Miami but were arrested in Lehigh Acres on Wednesday on sexual battery, lewd and lascivious molestation and lewd and lascivious conduct, Miami Police officials said.
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WATCH HEREThe investigation began in November after the teen and her parents met with police, though the alleged incidents occurred between July and December of 2023, an arrest report said.
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According to the report, the girl, who said she met the couple at church, said the first incident happened when she spent the night at their house while the girl was sleeping in the bed the couple shared with their two children.
Multiple other incidents happened in the following months, but the teen said she never told anyone because she was afraid, the report said.
In one incident, Garcia Castro told Vasquez Vasquez and the teen to kiss, which left the teen with a bruise on her lips, the report said.
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"She was afraid to talk about it but she finally confessed to her parents, and that's when they came in," Miami Police spokesman Michael Vega said. "Now the 13-year-old tells us that in several occasions, they were forced to kiss, that the wife participated in telling the husband 'lift up her dress, touch her, kiss her,' and on at least one occasion, she also participated in touching this 13-year-old little girl."
Vasquez Vasquez and Garcia Castro were booked into the Lee County jail and were expected to be brought to Miami-Dade to face the charges.
"The Miami Police Department takes allegations of child sexual abuse very seriously and is committed to protecting the victims and holding perpetrators accountable," the department said in a statement Thursday.
Police said the incident remains under investigation and said a reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information in the case.
Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
