West Monroe man allegedly sexually abused 12-year-old victim for two years

All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This article deals with sexual abuse of young people. The reader should look at the contents carefully.

WEST MONROE, Louisiana. (KTVE/KARD) — On June 2, 2024, investigators with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a rape report in which a 12-year-old victim called authorities and reported that her stepfather, 29-year-old Nery Herlindo Hernandez Diaz, had raped the victim for the past two years. Authorities were also informed that Diaz had allegedly sexually assaulted the victim.

According to court documents, authorities learned that Diaz allegedly began sexually abusing the victim when she was 10 years old while the couple lived at a different address. Authorities also learned that the sexual assaults occurred approximately twice a week.

Diaz allegedly told the victim not to tell her mother, “or it would be bad” for the victim. The victim also feared that if she told anyone about the sexual assault, she would be taken away from her mother.

Authorities contacted the victim’s mother and learned that she had asked the victim if anything had happened with Diaz. According to authorities, the victim told her mother that Diaz was sexually harassing her.

The victim’s mother told authorities that she suspected Diaz had done something to the victim, but she was afraid to contact police because Diaz told her officers would not believe her. According to court documents, the victim’s mother placed two locks on the inside of the victim’s bedroom door to prevent Diaz from entering the bedroom.

Diaz was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape (victim under 13), and sexual battery of a juvenile.