A Broward County preacher has been arrested after authorities said he sexually battered the teen babysitter who was helping to watch his eight children while his wife was hospitalized.
Junior Augustin, 34, was arrested at his Deerfield Beach home Tuesday on charges of sexual battery on a minor 16 or 17 years of age and sex offense of a victim over 12 and up to 15 years of age, Broward Sheriff's Office officials said.
Officials said the 16-year-old victim was staying at Augustin's home to assist with babysitting the eight children while Augustin's wife was in the hospital during January and February.
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When the teen returned home, she started showing signs of behavior that were suspicious to her mother, who searched the girl's phone and saw sexually explicit photos and messages expressing their love for each other sent to and from Augustin via Whatsapp and Telegram, BSO officials said.
In March, on two occasions, Augustin acknowledged the acts and made a voluntary confession during a meeting that was regularly recorded at a church in unincorporated Central Broward, investigators said.
Augustin was booked into jail where he was being held on $100,000 bond Thursday, records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.
