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According to police, an Instacart customer from Miami raped a Publix employee in the store’s parking lot

Theo

A 15-year-old girl told police that after working a Saturday shift at a Publix in West Miami-Dade, she was raped by an Instacart customer in the store’s parking lot.

The delivery driver, 36-year-old Victor Fernandez, is currently in custody at Miami-Dade Corrections. He is charged with sexual assault of a 12- to 17-year-old by an adult, lewd and lascivious molestation of a child 12- to 16-year-old, and lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 16. Fernandez was not granted bail.

“We are appalled by this act of violence and our thoughts are with the survivor during this difficult time,” Instacart said in a statement. “This shopper has been banned from our platform and we will fully cooperate with law enforcement in their investigation.”

When asked if Publix would comment and what they would do to help the teen, the company responded with a statement: “We do not comment on ongoing investigations.”

READ MORE: Publix Deli Dip recalled after California company error

Fernandez was arrested on Wednesday, but a police report indicates that the Saturday in question was Nov. 4, the time was approximately 1:30 p.m., and the Publix was located at 14630 SW 26th St. in Plaza Alegre. According to Instacart, Fernandez was not actively shopping at the time.

After she finished her shift, the girl got into Fernandez’s car and they chatted casually. Fernandez, she said, then kissed her on the lips without permission, drove to another area of ​​the parking lot before molesting and raping her.

The area on the east side of the Plaza Alegre shopping center and in the distance the east side of a Wells Fargo branch that is closed on weekends. The teenage Publix employee said she drove to a part of the Plaza Alegre parking lot and was raped.The area on the east side of the Plaza Alegre shopping center and in the distance the east side of a Wells Fargo branch that is closed on weekends. The teenage Publix employee said she drove to a part of the Plaza Alegre parking lot and was raped.

The area on the east side of the Plaza Alegre shopping center and in the distance the east side of a Wells Fargo branch that is closed on weekends. The teenage Publix employee said she drove to a part of the Plaza Alegre parking lot and was raped.

Fernandez’s version also begins with her getting into his car and talking, according to the report. He said she asked him to drive to another part of the parking lot.

The rest of Fernandez’s account of events was redacted in the arrest report.

The back of the Plaza Alegre shopping center.The back of the Plaza Alegre shopping center.

The back of the Plaza Alegre shopping center.

Instacart considers its customers to be independent contractors using personal vehicles, so there are no monitoring devices installed in the vehicles.

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