- March 10, 2025
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested a 13-year-old Thursday morning on a charge of sexual battery, after he allegedly touched the private area of a 5-year-old girl in their Palm Coast home in the late evening hours of Jan. 10.
The victim told detectives that around 9 p.m., she was lying on a couch sleeping when she was awakened by the teenager who was pulling down her pants and underwear. The girl said the teenager touched her and then ran back to his bed when an adult approached the two.
The adult told deputies he found the girl in her room with her pants down around her feet. The teenager was arrested by detectives this morning.
“This is an upsetting case of abuse. We have our victim advocates working with the young girl and her parents to be sure she has access to the professional attention that she undoubtedly needs after such an experience,” Flagler County Sheriff James Manfre said in a statement.
The boys and the girl are related, according to Lt. Bob Weber, public information officer for the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
He said that public records laws in Florida allow the Sheriff’s Office to withhold the name of the suspect if their identification can lead to the possible identification of the victim because of name, address or other reasons.
Weber said Monday that names in the incident still have not been released.
Although the incident occurred at home, parents have expressed concern over the impending switch to K-8 centers for Flagler’s schools.
But School Board member Colleen Conklin said on Tuesday that last week’s incident shouldn’t impact the K-8 debate.
“It really wasn’t a school issue,” Conklin said. “I guess the only think I would say is I can understand their concerns, but it could happen anywhere and it could happen between any grade level.”
Conklin said the school district has not had any problems in the past when there were K-8 centers.
“Those who did attend K-8 and the parents who had their children in K-8 have had positive experiences,” she said. “If you really look at the research, there’s nothing that says it puts students at risk.”
