The mother of a 13-year-old Santa Barbara girl believed to have molested by three men has been arrested on prostitution charges, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
Sgt. Riley Harwood said detectives who responded to the victim’s residence on Wednesday to investigate a possible fourth instance of molestation observed a man who was not the victim’s father saying goodbye to the 39-year-old mother, who was wearing lingerie.
According to the detectives, the mother was surprised to see the police, and went into the home and closed the door.
Harwood said it was the second time detectives had found the mother allegedly engaged in prostitution at the residence.
The man seen leaving the home, a 24-year-old from Ventura, reportedly told the detectives he had paid the woman to engage in a sexual act, according to Harwood. She denied being paid to perform sex and told the detectives she provided massage services.
Harwood said detectives found an advisement placed by the woman on an escort website, and that other evidence consistent with prostitution was found inside the home.
The man was issued a misdemeanor citation for prostitution and released. The molestation victim’s mother was arrested and booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail. Bail was set at $2,500. Her name is being withheld to protect the identity of her daughter.
The molestation investigation began in March, when detectives learned about the possible molestation of a girl — 12 years old at the time — who reportedly had been assaulted by a neighbor, according to Harwood.
The incident was reported to Child Welfare Services after one of the child’s parents found suspicious Facebook communications between the victim and perpetrator.
Jonathan Mendoza Cisneros, 25, was arrested in March on suspicion of felony child molestation. Jose David Hernandez-Alecio, 25, was arrested in early April on suspicion of child molestation and penetration with a foreign object to a victim under 14-years of age with the suspect greater than 10 years older.
Detectives conducted a follow-up investigation to a report from Planned Parenthood that a 13-year-old victim had informed staff that she had sexual intercourse with a 19-year-old man. Planned Parenthood is mandated by law to report crimes of this nature to law enforcement.
A detective recognized the victim to be the same girl from the previous investigation, and determined that Martin Morales,19, had engaged in a sexual relationship with the victim, who considers Morales to be her boyfriend, Harwood said.
He said the victim had gone to Planned Parenthood because she was concerned that she might be pregnant.
Morales was arrested on suspicion of felony child molestation.
— Noozhawk managing editor Michelle Nelson can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
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