Swimming Instructor Accused Of Molesting Kids During Class
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DEERFIELD BEACH (CBSMiami) – A swimming instructor has been arrested, accused of molesting two 6-year-olds during swim class.
Francisco De Aragon, 26, was arrested Wednesday and is facing charges of sexual assault and lewd and lascivious behavior on a victim less than 12-years-old.
De Aragon was in bond court Thursday. The judge ordered that he be held on no bond.
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De Aragon, according to the arrest report, is a life guard and a swim instructor at Deerfield Beach Aquatic Center.
The first victim, a 6-year-old was being instructed by De Aragon Tuesday when, according to the report, he stuck his hand inside the waistband of her bathing suit bottom and inappropriately touched the victim.
During another session, De Aragon, according to the report, did the same thing to another 6-year-old victim during a swim session. Investigators said there were other children in the pool during the session.
"This is a man who teaches very young children to swim so he holds their bodies, and when he was holding their bodies, teaching them to swim, he was also abusing them," said Gina Carter with the Broward Sheriff's Office.
Both girls are students of different schools and did not know each other prior to the incident, according to the report.
Each victim told their parents separately the day of the incident.
City officials in Deerfield Beach said De Aragon passed a thorough background check with no red flags but that he's since been fired. They are concerned with the allegations, afraid there could be more victims.
"If parents have children that attended classes with this man or come in contact with this man we encourage them to speak to their children. If you feel they've been victimized, reach out to Broward Sheriff's Office," said Carter.
Dennis Bonner, a parent who brings his 2-year-old to swimming classes, said he was surprised by the allegations.
"All the kids who work here seem like nice people, all the people in the front. It's a nice place. There's usually no creepy people here," Bonner said.
De Aragon was positively identified in a photo array, which led to his arrest.
