Finding oneself at the mercy of someone older can often be a frightening experience, especially for children and young teenagers. These vulnerable individuals may face physical, emotional or sexual abuse at the hands of someone older who knows what they are doing is wrong. Unfortunately, such incidents can have lasting harmful effects on the victims.
New Mexico readers may be interested in the recent arrest of an individual in a nearby state. According to reports, police began investigating a possible sexual relationship between a runaway teen and a 20-year-old man. The teen was reported as being 14 years old. During the course of the investigation, authorities also determined that the man had had sexual contact with another runaway teen over the course of a year while the victim was 13 and 14 years old.
It was unclear exactly how authorities learned of the situation, but nonetheless, the man was taken into custody on the following charges:
- Aggravated criminal sodomy of a child under 14
- Rape of a child under 14
- Aggravated domestic battery
- Aggravated indecent liberties with a child 14–16
- Aggravated child endangerment
- Additional serious charges
The victims in this case will undoubtedly find themselves contending with the effects of this sexual abuse for years to come. As they start on their journey toward healing, they may find that testifying against their abuser could help them obtain a sense of justice. Of course, taking that step can seem frightening for someone in their position. Fortunately, they and victims of similar crimes in New Mexico could gain assistance from caring legal professionals.
