A Houston shopping mall employee is suspected of taking part in a twisted gang sexual abuse of two young children in her care and filming at least some of the disturbing acts in a public restroom, authorities said.
According to a Texas criminal complaint filed last month, 29-year-old Arthur Hector Fernandez III allegedly witnessed a group of men sexually abusing two 2-year-old children on various occasions dating back to 2022. After the FBI discovered multiple videos of him, he was arrested and charged with federal charges. .
Fernandes, a former Houston Galleria employee, is one of at least seven people who allegedly appeared on camera in four disturbing videos that were first flagged by Australia's anti-child exploitation government agency on December 6, 2023. He was one of them, the complaint states. .
Authorities said short videos of Fernandez and one or two others allegedly abusing children were originally posted on an invite-only forum on the dark web.
The FBI said one of the boys was abused in what appeared to be a public restroom while on a changing table. He was filmed in one of his videos, and his other boy appeared in three of his videos.
Fernandez is accused of filming at least one video of the nauseating abuse behind a camera, federal authorities said.
Federal authorities identified the two men and interviewed their relatives, who said they had asked Fernandez to babysit their children while they each worked watches at a store at a Texas mall. did.
The mother of one of the victims said she was called to work this summer and brought her son with her. Fernandez, who worked at a mall kiosk, offered to push the toddler around the mall while she worked, her mother said.
Relatives of the other victim said in the complaint summary that when they couldn't find a babysitter, they often took their children to the mall and that Fernandez watched them on several occasions.
Fernandez has been charged with child sexual exploitation and will be detained pending trial.
“The evidence in this case is overwhelming and revolting,” the presiding judge wrote in the court order ordering his detention. According to USA Today.
“can not forgive [him] You may not abuse other minors, and there is no condition or combination of conditions that would reduce your risk to the community. This is not a close call. ”
Investigators identified Fernandez from two silver bracelets seen on one of the abusers' wrists in some of the videos, according to the complaint. Relatives of each of the victims recognized the bracelet as one frequently worn by Fernandez.
Investigators later removed electronic devices from the suspected pervert's home as part of the investigation.
