A Hialeah man is being held without bond after police say he repeatedly raped a child he was babysitting when she was 9 years old. Authorities say the allegations surfaced after relatives found the children alone and child-welfare and law-enforcement agencies opened an investigation. According to officials, the alleged victim and her siblings have been placed in state care while officers pursue criminal charges.
What police say
The Hialeah Police Department identified the suspect as 48-year-old Enrique Dominguez Rodriguez, who investigators say had been living with the girl’s family in a room at the Casanovas Boutique Motel. The child, now 10, told a forensic interviewer she knew the man as “Ricky” and described roughly 10 to 20 instances of abuse that she said “hurt her a lot,” according to authorities. These details and the sequence of events were reported by WPLG Local 10.
Forensic interview and advocacy
Police say the case was referred by the Florida Department of Children and Families and that a March 19 forensic interview was arranged with staff at Kristi House, the Miami-area children’s advocacy center that coordinates interviews, medical exams and trauma-informed therapy for young victims. Kristi House describes its multidisciplinary approach as designed to limit repeated questioning while connecting families to clinical and legal supports. The group’s site outlines the center’s role in coordinating investigations and care. Kristi House notes it provides forensic interviews and family advocacy for children who have experienced sexual abuse.
Arrest, charges and custody
Records reviewed by reporters show Dominguez was arrested on an unrelated battery charge on April 11 and later held at the Metro West Detention Center. Police say child-rape and molestation counts were added after the forensic interview. A judge ordered him held without bond, and court records indicate the new sex-crime allegations are pending formal prosecution. WPLG Local 10 reported the arrest details and the judge’s custody order.
Local context and the child-welfare response
The Florida Department of Children and Families maintains a statewide hotline and procedures for reporting suspected abuse. When DCF investigators determine a safety concern, cases can be referred to law enforcement and children may be placed in out-of-home care while protective steps proceed. The Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department lists Metro West as one of its major detention facilities and provides an online inmate search for people seeking custody information. For local readers, this case follows other recent Hialeah-area incidents involving alleged abuse in babysitting settings, a pattern reported earlier in coverage of alleged abuse of a 6-year-old at a babysitter’s residence.
Legal note
The allegations against Dominguez are serious and remain allegations until prosecutors file charges and a court determines guilt. Authorities and child-advocacy groups encourage anyone with information about the case to contact Hialeah police. Victims and families can also find resources through local centers such as Kristi House and the Florida Department of Children and Families.