Florida man accused of sexually abusing 11-year-old neighbor in van

Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of child sexual abuse that readers may find disturbing.

WEST PALM BEACH – A man is accused of kidnapping his 11-year-old neighbor last week and sexually abusing her in a van parked outside her Lake Worth Beach home. Officers say the man only stopped the attack when the child’s mother appeared next to the van and hit it with her hand, demanding to know what was going on inside.

According to investigators, 20-year-old Marvin Perez Lopez fled the vehicle. The child came after him, her legs bloody and naked. Her mother took the girl inside and packed up her clothes before going back out to confront Lopez. Neither the child nor his mother are identified in public records.

According to the arrest report, Lopez told the mother he was sorry for what he had done and asked her to forgive him. She said she declined and instead called the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

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Officers say the girl escaped from the van and was pulled back inside

The child, a sixth-grader who told responding officers that she liked math and art classes, said she was playing outside between 8 and 9 p.m. Thursday when Lopez grabbed her hand and told her to go to a “big, Get up in the dirty van.” She did.

“It scared her,” a deputy later wrote. “He touched her and she didn’t like it.”

She said she has known Lopez since he moved to the apartment complex from Guatemala last year. Once inside the vehicle, the girl said Lopez kissed her and tried to remove her clothing. She said she pushed him away and got out of the van, only to be grabbed again and dragged back inside.

The girl said Lopez continued kissing her despite her requests to stop. She pointed to a drawing of a gingerbread man to describe to officers exactly what he did to her and where.

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The accused attacker fled from police and was later caught

Officers knocked on Lopez’s apartment door just before midnight Friday. According to his arrest report, Lopez sneaked out a window at the back of the house and led authorities on a chase. When they couldn’t find him, officers returned to the home and interviewed Lopez’s brother and sister-in-law.

The couple told officers that Lopez “did something with the girl next door.” They said he promised to become the child’s friend if her mother allowed it. If she were pregnant, he would also take care of the child, he said.

Officers charged Lopez with kidnapping and sexual assault of a person under 12 years old. His arrest report mentions a sexual assault evidence collection kit and a medical exam, but does not say what results those tests produced – only that they, along with the girl’s sworn statements, established probable cause for his arrest Arrest.

If convicted, Lopez could be sentenced to death or life in prison. District Judge Lisa Small ordered him to remain in jail in lieu of bail and assigned him a public defender. In practice, the District Office of the Public Defender does not comment on open cases.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, the Palm Beach County Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center can help. You can reach the hotline at 561-833-7273 or toll-free at 866-891-7273.

Hannah Phillips covers criminal justice for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at [email protected]. Support our journalism and subscribe today.

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