Man accused of kidnapping and sexually abusing a 14-year-old near LoanDepot Park – NBC 6 South Florida

Residents of Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood are reeling after a man allegedly kidnapped a 14-year-old girl near LoanDepot Park and then sexually assaulted her.

Akil Nathaniel Cousins, 27, was arrested Sunday on charges including three counts of sexual assault of a victim between the ages of 12 and 17, kidnapping and indecent exposure, an arrest report said.

Neighbors told NBC6 on Tuesday that Cousins ​​would frequent the area, particularly a senior home where he was evicted several times for entering.

According to the report, the 14-year-old victim said she was kicked out of her home and was sitting on a bench at Northwest 14th Avenue and 7th Street near LoanDepot Park in Little Havana around 9 a.m. Sunday when Cousins ​​​came towards her.

She said he grabbed her hand and led her across the street to a parking garage before they went into the lobby of a nearby apartment building, where Cousins ​​pulled down his pants and forced the girl to perform a sex act on him, says the report.

The girl said they got into an elevator and got off on the sixth floor, where they helped a woman bring her groceries into her apartment.

The teen said she whispered to the woman to call the police, but the woman did not do so. Additionally, she said Cousins ​​sexually assaulted her again while they were waiting for the elevator, the report said.

Cousins ​​and the teen left the building, where the girl was able to run to a nearby church for help.

“This individual continued the sexual act in the hallway area of ​​the building,” Miami Police Department spokesman Freddy Cruz said. “The victim was later able to leave the area and go to a church.”

Akil Nathaniel Cousins ​​appears in Miami-Dade bond court.

A short time later, police received a report of a man exposing himself at a retirement community and took Cousins ​​into custody, the report said.

While she was in police custody, an officer saw Cousins ​​masturbating, the report said.

Cousins, who the report says is homeless, was later taken to jail. He appeared in court Monday and was held without bail.

Records showed Cousins ​​was arrested on an indecent exposure charge in a separate case just last year.

“If you know this person, have information or perhaps have been a victim of this person, please come forward because this is a person who needs to say something behind bars,” Cruz said.