Man arrested for alleged lewd acts with 12-year-old stepniece
A Glendale man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of committing lewd acts with his 12-year-old stepniece in her own bed earlier in the day, police said.
The girl, who wasn’t identified because she is a minor, then went to her school and told her counselor, which sparked a swift investigation that led to the arrest of Gumaro Barrios, 37, said Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz.
On Thursday morning, she was sleeping alone in her apartment on the 300 block of East Palmer Avenue, he said. About half an hour after both of her parents left for work, Barrios, who lives in a different unit in the building, climbed into her bed, Lorenz said.
The suspect allegedly began to kiss her neck and earlobes and grabbed her chest, he added.
The victim was scared and pretended to be asleep during the assault, Lorenz said, adding that Barrios reportedly left a hickey on the back of the victim’s neck.
After the girl told her school counselor about the incident, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services was contacted. Then the agency called the police at 2 p.m.
An investigation led to Barrio’s arrest without incident at his residence at 6:18 p.m., Lorenz said.
The victim said the suspect also allegedly grabbed her chest and kissed her body a year ago, but she was afraid to report it.
Barrios was booked for two counts on suspicion of committing lewd acts with a child and is being held on $200,000 bail.
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Follow Arin Mikailian on Twitter: @ArinMikailian.
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