Fort Myers police say a search for a missing 13-year-old girl ended with officers finding not one but two juvenile girls hidden inside a home on Handy Court, after the man living there initially denied the missing child was even on the property. Charles Eford was arrested Thursday and now faces three counts of lewd or lascivious battery and two counts of interference with child custody, according to police.
The case began when a mother reported her 13-year-old daughter missing, telling police she believed her daughter was staying at a home on the 3300 block of Handy Court with Eford, according to gulfcoastnewsnow.com. The mother said she feared for her daughter's safety after recently learning of a possible inappropriate relationship between the teen and Eford, per the Fort Myers Police Department. When officers responded to the address, Eford reportedly denied that the missing girl was inside the home.
Two Girls Found Concealed Inside
Further investigation revealed two juvenile girls hidden inside the home, the outlet's report states. Police said Eford had instructed both girls to hide when law enforcement arrived at the property. Detectives determined that Eford allegedly engaged in sexual activity with one of the girls on three separate occasions, according to police.
Officers and detectives safely recovered both girls following what police described as a swift response and thorough investigation. Both juveniles were recovered safely, the same report notes. WINK News also reported on the incident.
Charges and What Florida Law Says
Eford was arrested on three counts of lewd or lascivious battery and two counts of interference with child custody, police said. Under Florida Statutes, Section 800.04, engaging in sexual activity with a person who is 12 or older but under 16 is classified as lewd or lascivious battery, generally a second-degree felony, and the statute specifies that a victim's consent is not a defense. The law defines sexual activity as specified oral, anal, or female genital penetration by, or union with, another person's sexual organ, excluding acts performed for a bona fide medical purpose.
No case number, court date, or plea has been disclosed in the available reporting, and no response from Eford or an attorney representing him has been made public. The identities and the second girl's age have not been released.
