Police: Girl, 11, was assaulted at church
By John Tompkins
The Facts

Published April 25, 2007
PEARLAND — An El Salvadoran national remained in custody Tuesday after an 11-year-old girl said he sexually assaulted her behind a church.

Isaias Larios, 20, is accused of taking the girl behind a church building in the 3900 block of Third Street and sexually assaulting her Sunday evening, according to a press release issued by Pearland Police.

Larios was arrested that night and charged with sexual assault of a child. He was being held late Tuesday at the Brazoria County Detention Center on $105,000 bond. He also has a hold placed on him by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for a check on his residential status.

Police said the girl managed to break free from Larios after the assault and ran to adults inside the church’s main building, the release states. Police found Larios as he ran north from the church, which resulted in an added misdemeanor charge of evading arrest.

Larios had attended services at the church for the only time that night, said Pearland Police Detective Jon Matherne. Larios is a construction worker who had been visiting the Houston area, but he could not give an address where he was staying, Matherne said.

“Basically he said he works in construction,” Matherne said. “He’d been living in the Dallas area.”

The immigration hold on Larios means he won’t be released after his case has been adjudicated, said ICE spokeswoman Luisa Deason.

“He will have to go through the judicial process,” she said. “The (hold) means he won’t be released onto the streets if he’s released,” from the judicial system.

Larios likely would be taken to a detention facility near Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston while immigration officials check his residency status, she said.

The girl was taken to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, where she was treated and released, the press release states.

John Tompkins covers Brazoria County for The Facts. Contact him at (979) 849-8581.

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