so far, no charges filed
The District Attorney in Lavaca County Texas said today that a grand jury next week will consider whether to file charges against a father who beat a man to death after he saw the man attempting to sexually assault his daughter.
Heather McMinn says a witness saw Jesus Flores, 47, ‘forcibly’ carrying the five year old girl to a secluded location and notified her 23 year old father, who was attending a family barbecue at his ranch outside the small town of Shiner last Saturday afternoon.
McMinn says the father, whose name has not been released because he has not been charged with a crime, ran to the area and began calling for his daughter. When he heard her screams, he ran to a secluded area where he "removed Flores from on top of his child and in the process inflicted several blows to the man's head and neck area."
Lavaca County Sheriff Micah Harmon in court papers said the physical evidence found at the scene appeared to substantiate the father's account.
"The man's pants and underwear were down and his genitals were exposed," Harmon said. "In addition, all of the physical evidence and several detailed witness statements corroborated the father's statement."
McMinn said she determined today that the case should be reviewed by a grand jury.
"Sheriff Harmon made the right decision in not arresting the father at the time of the incident," she said.
McMinn said the father was "very remorseful and did not intend to kill Jesus Flores."
Harmon says Flores had been hired by the family to perform horse grooming and other chores.
Shiner, population 1900, is located in southeast Texas between Houston and San Antonio. Is best known as the home of the brewery that produces Shiner Bock, one of Texas' popular German craft beers.
