A Texas man has been charged with sexually assaulting toddlers at the Houston mall where he worked at a kiosk and posting videos of the assaults online.
Court documents describe four short videos of more than one attacker assaulting two 2-year-olds in a mall restroom at Houston’s Galleria.
Arthur Fernandez III is the only person arrested, according to KTRK. The documents say the children’s mothers, who worked at the mall, sometimes brought them with them when they were unable to obtain childcare. Fernandez would offer to watch them.
At those times, Fernandez would take the children to the restroom, assault them, and shoot videos. The videos show as many as seven people making vulgar comments and assaulting the children.
The videos were posted online, where the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation found them and alerted the FBI, USA Today reported. The FBI identified one of the children and contacted the mother, who identified Fernandez by his jewelry and shoes.
Agents found a relative of the other child through photos on Fernandez’s Instagram and then located the child’s mother, who also identified him through clothing he was wearing.
The other people in the videos have not been identified.
Documents say the FBI raided Fernandez’s home and confiscated electronic devices and clothing that matched the clothes he was wearing in the videos, KTRK said.
“The evidence in this case is overwhelming and revolting,” a judge wrote in a court order requiring Fernandez to remain in jail pending trial, according to USA Today. “I cannot allow (him) to abuse any other minors and there are no conditions or combination of conditions that can alleviate a danger to the community. This is not a close call.”
Fernandez is no longer employed at the mall. He is charged with sexual exploitation of children.
