A disturbing case has emerged from West Palm Beach where a 55-year-old man, Francisco Alicea, was taken into custody for allegedly sexually battering a 17-year-old girl with mental disabilities. As reported by CBS12, the incident was uncovered after the teen's mother reported seeing Alicea sexually engaging with her daughter, whose shorts were down, early Monday morning.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office acted swiftly following the mother's distress call. According to WPBF, the victim struggles with agenesis of the corpus callosum, and Smith-Magenis syndrome, conditions that greatly affect her mental faculties and communicative abilities akin to those of a much younger individual. The mother stumbled upon, Alicea, and the girl in her living room on a mattress which prompted her to immediately contact authorities.
In the aftermath, deputies arrested Alicea, and he is now being charged with sexual battery. Further to the investigation, the Sheriff's office detailed that the 17-year-old, who has a diminished mental capacity estimated to be between that of a five and 12-year-old, described a sexual encounter with Alicea to the authorities. Alicea's own statements to investigators were a mixed bag; while he claimed the victim initiated the encounter, he acknowledged her limited mental capacity.
Legal proceedings will determine the outcome of the case. Alicea is currently being held without bond in the Palm Beach County jail. The victim’s family is dealing with the emotional impact and focusing on supporting their daughter. Due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, authorities have not released details about Alicea’s connection to the girl.
