A man has been arrested and charged with the alleged rape of a 15-year-old girl at a Rockland, Massachusetts hotel, repurposed as a shelter for migrants, according to authorities. Cory B. Alvarez, 26, faced arraignment on Thursday, accused of aggravated rape of a child and is being held without bail, said the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office.
As reported by NBC Boston, the assault occurred at the Comfort Inn on Hingham Street, where both the suspect and the victim were residing under a state/federal program designed to house migrant families. The incident, which unfolded Wednesday night, was promptly reported to the police by a hotel employee after the victim, who uses French Creole to communicate, recounted the assault through multiple translators.
In a statement obtained by CBS News Boston, the police were alerted by the front desk worker about the sexual attack on the disabled 15-year-old girl. Following the report, Alvarez was soon apprehended and the young girl was taken to South Shore Hospital for treatment.
Details from the court paperwork obtained by WCVB reveal that the teenager had gone to Alvarez's room seeking assistance with applications on her tablet, where she was then assaulted. Despite her pleas for Alvarez "to leave me alone," the accused allegedly persisted. Held awaiting a March 22 dangerousness hearing, Alvarez has been ordered to surrender his passport and to avoid contact with the alleged victim.
As the state grapples with a surge in migrants that has taxed the shelter system, Massachusetts lawmakers recently approved additional funding to alleviate the crisis. Rockland's selection for this migrant housing program, as revealed in NBC Boston's coverage, was a decision made without local municipal input, sparking concern among some community members. Meanwhile, local authorities and the National Guard have emphasized their commitment to the safety and well-being of all residents within these shelters.
