Girl's Letter to Santa Leads to Relative's Arrest on Sex Charges

(News 4) PHARR, Texas (AP) -A 55-year-old Pharr man is in the Hidalgo County Jail on charges of continuous sexual abuse of a young child -- following a little girl's letter to Santa Claus asking for a stop to alleged molestation.

The (McAllen) Monitor reports a 9-year-old girl's letter asked that a relative stop touching her and her sister.

Andres Enrique Cantu, of Pharr, was arrested Friday. His bond was set at $100,000. It wasn't immediately clear if Cantu had an attorney.

The girl wrote the letter Thursday and turned it in at Cesar Chavez Elementary School.

A probable cause complaint said a counselor at the school reported that the student turned in a wish list to Santa asking that the relative stop touching her and her sister.


http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Girls-Letter-to-Santa-Leads-to-Relatives-Arrest/WEbIRi1PPUuEA6qqPFq7dA.cspx

I saw that story! Good thing a teacher got the note and did something about it. You know a kid's life is bad when they wish for very little material things from Santa. I had an abused kid who wrote to Santa and all she asked for was a pencil with an eraser.

Attorney says abuse claims in girl's letter to Santa were fabricated

Barreiro maintains that she convinced her children to make up the molestation allegations against their stepfather to help the family qualify for special visas available to some crime victims.

Cantu was divorcing his wife, who is the mother of the stepchildren he is accused of molesting, Barreiro said. Her identity is not disclosed in court records.

The arrest came just weeks after Cantu tried to kick the mother out of her house over their marital problems, Barreiro said.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/DN-santaletter_11tex.ART.State.Edition1.4b5616e.html

The return of RTC?

Wow, what a diabolical genius that mom is. "Now honey, you be sure to say that your dad is abusing you and your sister. No, don't tell your teacher. Don't tell the babysitter. Don't tell Suzy's mom down the street. How silly! No, no, I want you to write it in a letter to Santa that may or may not ever be read. That will be sure to get me a visa!"

What can mere mortals do against cleverness like that?

Wow, a defense attorney says it's all made up. Didn't see that coming. Why is this even news? Happens in all my cases, all the time. Couldn't agree with you more Andrea.

Sounds like a shady recant to me...mom needs money from the perp probably and thinks she can only get it if he is not in jail for a very long time.

Suzanne, I don't think it's a recant at all. The article just talks about what the defense attorney's claiming. It doesn't say Mom has admitted to any of it.

So wait, you're saying that a defense attorney might lie, to the media or otherwise, in his attempt to represent his client to the best of his ability?

Does this happen alot?