Man abused and beat 12-year-old family relative for extended period of time in front of other minors who were also family relatives, sentenced

Data shows that more than half a million cases of rape and sexual assaults are reported each year in the United States and the victims are usually aged 12 and older. While parents usually try to protect their children from unknown people, the danger sometimes comes from the very closest encounter, close friends and even close family relatives.

This was the case with one little girl who was allegedly repeatedly abused and violently attacked in a series of incidents by a family relative that initially started in 2017.

The 32-year-old A. Fernandez was accused for the gross incidents that lasted for extended period of time and involved his minor relative who was just 12 when he started to abuse her.

Reportedly, the main suspect in the case started the physical abuse and that lasted for several months. At one point, the physical abuse turned sexual.

But the sexual abuse of the 12-year-old girl was not enough for Fernandez and he started abusing her in front of other minors who reportedly were also his relatives. In addition, he terrorized the children during the activities with the 12-year-old girl, beat them with a belt and an extension cord and even cut one of the children with a knife and put a gun to the head to another.

The little girl was completely mentally broken, so she asked the school counselor to help her with the situation. As soon as the school counselor heard what the girl had been through, he immediately contacted the authorities bringing the case to the light of the day for the very first time.

The Houston Police Department conducted the investigation and arrested Fernandez on charges of continuous sexual assaults of a minor. The trial lasted more than a week and the judge found Fernandez guilty of repeatedly molesting his relative.

Earlier this month, he was sentenced to 50 years behind bars without the possibility of parole for continuous sexual abuse of a child from July 2017 to October 2017.

“Texas law mandates that when a predator is convicted of continuous sexual assault of a child, they are never allowed to be released on parole. This man will spend 50 years in prison, day-for-day, for repeatedly assaulting a 12-year-old,” said Kim O., a District Attorney.

The public was satisfied with the sentence and said the right decision was made. They also added they’re hoping other judges and juries will also follow suit in cases where victims and communities need to be protected from violent sex predators like Fernandez.