The brazed abduction and sexual assault of a three-year-old girl shocked court observers today.
24-year-old Joseph Hernandez was formally arraigned before Magistrate Sharon Frazer for molesting a 3 year old girl. Allegations against Hernandez are that on September 13 he removed the three year old girl from a day care center in the Lake Independence area and assaulted the child. It was not until the child returned to the institution by herself that anyone was aware that she had been removed and the authorities were notified taking the child to the KHMH where she was examined and doctors noted that she had been sexually molested. In court today Hernandez originally plead guilty to aggravated assault but when the court was detailing the extent of injury the child received to the area of her privates, he changed his plea. The prosecution strongly objected to bail and he was remanded to jail until the 22 of December. In his defense the accused said that he had gone to the daycare to pick up his niece but picked up the wrong child instead.