Honduran National Charged With Sexual Assault of 10-Year-Old Granted Bail

A 38-year-old Honduran national, who claims naturalized Belizean status, is out on bail after being criminally charged for the sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl in the Saint Martin de Porres area over the weekend. It is a case that sparked community outrage and led to the suspect being detained and beaten by angry residents before the police arrived.  Joshua Abraham Melendez appeared unrepresented before a Senior Magistrate in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court this week, where he was arraigned on a single charge of sexual assault. He pleaded not guilty to the offense.  According to court and police reports, the incident occurred on Sunday morning, June 21. A 30-year-old housekeeper reported that around 10:30 a.m., she sent her 10-year-old daughter to a supermarket on Jasmine Street.  While inside the supermarket, a tall man with dreadlocks, allegedly grabbed the minor by the left side of her body, hugged her, and kissed her on the right cheek. The frightened child managed to break free, ran behind the store counter, and asked the cashier to call her mother.  The mother rushed to the supermarket, where the child recounted the ordeal. When the mother confronted the suspect, he reportedly began shouting at her. The confrontation quickly drew the attention of a crowd of neighborhood residents.  Viral video footage circulating on social media over the weekend captured the tense moments as an angry mob attacked and subdued the suspect. Residents detained the man on-site until police arrived to escort him into custody, where the mother positively identified him.  In court, the allegations were read that Melendez touched the lips and kissed the right jaw of a female under the age of 16, and that the touching was sexual in nature and without her consent.  When questioned by the Senior Magistrate regarding his legal status in the country, Melendez asserted that he is a naturalized Belizean and presented his Belizean passport and supporting residency documents to the court.  With no objections raised by the prosecution, the Senior Magistrate offered Melendez bail in the sum of $1,500 with strict conditions. He is ordered to maintain a minimum distance of 25 feet from the victim, have absolutely no contact with her or her family members in person or via social media, and stay away from her school and regular hangout spots.  Before he could secure his release, however, Melendez was required to settle an outstanding court fine of $170 dating back to 2008, which he successfully paid.  Joshua Abraham Melendez is scheduled to return to court on August 12.