Day-Care Owner's Father Charged with Abusing 5-Year-Old

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A Silver Spring child-care facility is under police investigation after a 5-year-old girl told her parents that the owner’s father inappropriately touched her several times at the facility.

Montgomery County Police are investigating sexual offenses that occurred at Ariana’s Learning and Play Family Child Care in Silver Spring.

The charging documents allege that Manuel Aguilar-Morales, 55, would lay down with the five-year-old girl during nap time and touch her, reports WTOP. When the girl tried to remove the man’s hand from her, he would laugh at her and would not comply.

Aguilar-Morales, of Silver Spring, has denied ever touching the child, the documents say.

Detectives interviewed the child May 11 after she told her parents about Aguilar-Morales’ actions. The victim told police he inappropriately touched the victim on several occasions and that the contact has been happening since the girl began attending the daycare.

Aguilar-Morales is the father of the day-care provider, police say.

Aguilar-Morales was arrested May 12 on two counts of second-degree sexual offense, two counts of third-degree sexual offense, and one count of sexual abuse. He is currently out on bond.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Special Victims Division at 240-773-5400. Callers may remain anonymous.