Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Arrest Ordered for Dominican Soldier Accused of Raping Haitian Girl in Punta Cana
In a disturbing turn of events, Dominican authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a Dominican soldier accused of raping a 14-year-old Haitian girl in the vicinity of the luxurious resort town of Punta Cana. The soldier in question, identified as Paulino de la Cruz, was part of a group of 15 members of the Dominican Air Force assisting immigration inspectors in the Verón area, a settlement predominantly occupied by Haitian migrants.
The incident occurred when the young victim’s mother was away from home, prompting her to report the heinous crime to the Prosecutor’s Office for Victims of Gender, Domestic Violence, and Sexual Crimes. Subsequently, the authorities summoned all the soldiers involved in the immigration operation to facilitate the victim’s identification of the perpetrator. The victim was able to identify de la Cruz with clarity and precision, as documented by The Associated Press.
If found guilty of the rape, the soldier could face a prison sentence ranging from 10 to 20 years. The identity of the girl’s mother has been withheld to protect her privacy. This distressing event sheds light on the vulnerable position of migrants, particularly young girls, in the Dominican Republic.
For more updates on news from Latin America and the Caribbean, visit the AP Latin America hub.
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