JURY CONVICTS MAN FOR MOLESTING GIRLFRIEND’S DAUGHTER

State vs. Lazaro Hernandez-Lopez

Atlanta- A Fulton County jury has returned a guilty verdict in the child molestation case against 28-year old Lazaro Hernandez-Lopez. The defendant was subsequently sentenced to 20-years in prison.

The incident happened on June 3, 2006 when Hernandez-Lopez was babysitting his girlfriend’s four daughters at her Atlanta apartment. Investigators say the defendant began touching the 12-year old girl inappropriately telling her it was “tickle” time. He then removed her clothes and had sex with her. The girl was able to kick the defendant when he was distracted by one of the other children. The girls ran away and locked themselves in a separate bedroom where they then called their mother. She arrived home and called the police. Hernandez-Lopez fled to New Mexico but was arrested and extradited to Georgia a month later.

Superior Court Judge Stephanie B. Manis presided over the case. It was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Cheveda McCamy of the Crimes Against Women and Children Unit with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Nancy Ladson and Investigator Greg Patterson. Detectives James Higgins and Marilyn Bighon of the Atlanta Police Department lead the initial investigation.

Media Contact: Yvette Brown, 404-224-0560/404-392-8867, yvette.brown@fultoncountyga.gov