Nearly eight years after a woman got married at 13, police arrested a man in Bonita Springs on charges of child abuse, and lewd and lascivious behavior.
The woman, now 20, was only in middle school when she married Antonio Juarez, 31, in a ceremony surrounded by her family, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. The woman's marriage was reportedly arranged by her parents, and they were able to hide the it for so long by lying to law enforcement officials when suspicions arose, according to the News-Press.
The situation became exposed when the unidentified woman went to a lawyer last summer asking for legal help because Juarez, who is from Guatemala, wanted custody of their 6-year-old daughter.
When the woman explained to the lawyer that she was married at 13, the lawyer convinced her to come forward to police.
Juarez’s lawyer claims he was “unaware” that he was breaking the law by marrying the underage girl, and there was no “malicious intent,” the News-Press reports.
Juarez turned himself into police when he asked the court to grant him rights to see his daughter. The charges against him are felonies, and he could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Juarez has a court date scheduled in February and could also face deportation since he is not a citizen.
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