A father turned to the police after his children told of abuse allegedly suffered at the hands of their mother’s boyfriend.
The father had the children over the weekend, when they revealed they were afraid to return to their mother’s home where the abuse has taken place, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department.
His young daughter described an incident when she was walking down the hall at their apartment when 46-year-old Rafael Torres-Santos “put her on the floor and proceeded to put both hands around her neck and began to choke her,” according to the arrest report. The little girl began “to shutdown and started to shake,” as she described what had occurred.
One of the little girl’s siblings told police that she has been the focal point of Torres-Santos’ violence.
Torres-Santos, who resides at the Rolling Acres Apartments, claimed the allegations were false and he was being set up.
The native of Puerto Rico was arrested on a felony charge of aggravated child abuse. He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $10,000 bond.