Counselor accused of sex abuse of girl
A 28-year-old counselor accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl he met at a Redwood City youth home was arrested in San Jose last week, authorities said Thursday.
Francis Caceres of Mountain View was arrested Jan. 12 on suspicion of committing lewd acts with a child. The arrest was made at another youth home in San Jose where he works.
Police learned on Dec. 27 that Caceres was accused of having a sexual relationship with the teenage victim.
Investigators discovered that Caceres and the victim met while he was a counselor at Your House South in Redwood City, where the teen was a resident. The home provides temporary lodging for children with family problems or who have run away from home.
Caceres was fired in August from his job at the youth home before police began their investigation, according to Detective Sal Zuno, a spokesman for the San Mateo County Sheriff ’s Office. Caceres had not been aware of the investigation, he said.
Zuno said staff at the shelter told police that Caceres had been fired over personnel issues, but it was not clear if those issues were related to a relationship with the teenage resident. Police said there was no indication that Caceres had engaged in sexual relationships with other residents.
Authorities found evidence of his relationship with the teenage victim outside the youth home, but declined to disclose what it was. There was no evidence of any crimes occurring inside the Redwood City youth home, Zuno said.
Caceres was arrested at his new youth counseling job at Tayler Group Home in San Jose. Representatives for both youth homes were not immediately available for comment.
He was being held on $100,000 bail at the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City.
Anyone with information, including possible victims, can call Sheriff ’s Detective Joe Cang at (650) 259-2417 or email jcang@smcgov.org. To remain anonymous, call the anonymous tip line at (800) 547-2700.