Florida – Two Florida women, 40-year-old S. Ramires and 22-year-old J. Pierse, were taken into custody and charged with one count each of chiId negIect without great bodiIy harm. The charges stemmed from an incident earlier this year where the two defendants allegedly provided a young girI with aIcohoI, leading to her se-ual assauIt by the younger woman’s sibIing, 15.
According to an arrest warrant from the Sheriff’s Office, in Feb., both defendants picked up the girl from her family member’s house before they then went to a Iiquor store and a gas station to purchase aIcohoI. The girl, whose age was redacted from the warrant, told Florida authorities that the older woman instructed her and the 22-year-old defendant to hide their faces from security cameras during the purchases.
After returning to Pierse’s home, the women allegedly gave the girl vodka and rum. The 40-year-old defendant reportedly made the girl drink straight shots of vodka from the bottIe. The girl also stated that Pierse’s brother, the 15-year-old boy, was drinking aIoohoI as well. She recalled the 40-year-old woman telling her ‘you’re going to become a woman tonight.’
Later, the boy took the girl to a bedroom where both women were present. The women reportedly left the room when the older defendant instructed the 22-year-old woman to do so. The boy then se-ually assauIted the girI.
Florida authorities interviewed the two women. The younger woman admitted to buying aIcohoI but claimed it was for herself and her co-defendant, not the minors. She stated that she keeps a bottle of rum in her refrigerator, accessible to anyone.
Both women claimed they were unaware of the whereabouts of the girl and the boy, stating they had left for a part, but did not know the location. They also mentioned being in their room with the door locked.
The 15-year-old boy, interviewed at the Department of Juvenile Justice Jail, stated he couldn’t remember much due to being drunk. He claimed the girl agreed to se-ual lntercourse by saying “yes” but did not provide further details.
Florida authorities concluded that both defendants failed to protect the girl and facilitated the circumstances leading to the assault. Both women were held at the Sheriff’s Office jail facility on a $10,000 bond each.