A 14-year-old Hollister boy was arrested Sunday for continually
molesting his 5-year-old step-brother over a three-week long
period, according to police.
Hollister – A 14-year-old Hollister boy was arrested Sunday for continually molesting his 5-year-old step-brother over a three-week long period, according to police.
The 14-year-old, who is not being named because he is a juvenile, was booked into the San Benito County Juvenile Hall for allegedly performing oral copulation on the 5-year-old, a felony, said police spokesman George Ramirez.
The teen was arrested around 10am at his home on Foxwood Street in Hollister after one of the parents interrupted the act and immediately called police, Ramirez said.
Police are still investigating the incident to decipher where the teen learned the deviant behavior, Ramirez said.
“This is a learned behavior and it’s important to find out who this child learned it from. If he’s a victim himself, it’s important for us to know,” Ramirez said. “If there are two kids being victimized, there’s no sense throwing one in jail.”
Performing a lewd and lascivious act with a child could land an adult in prison for up to eight years, but Head Probation Officer Deborah Botts said a situation such as this wouldn’t warrant jail time, but rehabilitation.
Unless the situation is so egregious to send the teen to the California Youth Authority, a prison for children, he would be put in a treatment plan long enough to provide consequences, but not long enough to completely remove him from regaining any semblance of normal life.
“The District Attorney could make the decision to try him as an adult, but you’re most likely talking about treatment and a lot of close supervision,” Botts said. “We would also take a real close look at the family and see what’s going on there.”
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
