After a 33-year-old man was charged with exposing himself to minors at Oxford Ridge Playground on Croton Road, Melbourne police are praising the actions of the victims who were able to alert authorities by themselves and potentially keep other children safe.
Commander Shawn Eising praised the juveniles who called police right away when they noticed something wrong, leading to the Aug. 13 arrest of Jose Luis O’Neill Caraballo, who was released from the Brevard County Jail on a $30,000 bond.
Eising said the actions of the two children, who immediately called authorities, can serve as a lesson for everyone on how to stay safe.
“You should feel comfortable taking your children places; you should pay attention to your surroundings and what’s going on,” he said. “These kids handled the situation better than a lot of adults.”
It goes back to “paying attention to your surroundings,” Eising said.
“These children were mature enough to recognize the issue, separate themselves, and make a phone call to the appropriate authorities,” he said. “They very may well have prevented something from happening to someone else.”
A sign at Oxford Ridge, a small neighborhood with a basketball court and playground, urges caution on the part of parents and families. “Play it safe. This play structure has been designed for school-age players 5 to 12 years old! Active adult supervision is recommended during play,” reads the yellow and red sign that hangs from the chain link fence girding the park’s boundaries on Croton Road.
“It’s about being a good citizen and taking care of your community,” Eising added.
Police said the children, ages 10 and 11, noticed the suspect lying on his back engaged in an lewd act at the neighborhood park at around 6:45 p.m. Aug. 13 and immediately called authorities.
According to an arrest report, O’Neill Caraballo attempted to flee and was detained by officers after a brief pursuit. When he arrived at the station, he exhibited signs of “evasive behavior” and was found with his shorts unzipped while not wearing underwear, the report states.
He is being charged with lewd and lascivious exhibition against a minor victim, exposure of sexual organs and two counts of resisting an officer without violence.
O’Neill Caraballo was arrested on a similar charge in 2017, when Melbourne police said he engaged in lewd act at Jimmy Moore Park off Sarno Road. He was later found guilty on a charge of exposure of sexual organs as a result of a plea deal in the incident.
Tyler Vazquez is the Brevard County Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Vazquez at 321-480-0854 or tvazquez@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @tyler_vazquez.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Melbourne police praise actions of children who reported lewd behavior at neighborhood park
Reporting by Tyler Vazquez, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
