Jurors convicted a former Deerfield Beach lifeguard accused of sexually abusing children during swimming lessons Thursday.
Francisco Xavier De Aragon II was found guilty after he vehemently denied the allegations against him. He took the stand Thursday, saying the accusations left him "shocked and horrified." The jury delivered a guilty verdict on all five counts related to inappropriate sexual conduct with chidlren, one of them is a capitol sexual battery -- which is a mandatory life sentence.
After the verdict was read, De Aragon told his wife he loved her as she left the courtroom. His wife was distraught and refused to talk to reporters.
De Aragon testified hours earlier saying he would never commit such a crime.
"I would never ever in a million years molest a child. I've never had anything like this happen to me before. I couldn't fathom it because I've always done everything by Red Cross standard," De Aragon testified.
De Aragon teared up moments after he left the stand. Closing arguments were delivered and the jury was expected to begin deliberations Thursday afternoon.
De Aragon, 29, was arrested on charges including lewd or lascivious molestation and sexual battery in May 2015.
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According to an arrest report, De Aragon is accused of molesting three students in separate swim lesson sessions at the Deerfield Beach Aquatic Center where he was a life guard and swim instructor.
During the swim lessons, the report claims that De Aragon reached inside the childrens' swimsuits and touched them inappropriately.
The victims were six years old, the report said. The children, who authorities say did not know each other prior to the incident, each told their parents what happened on the same day, the report said.
All three girls, who are now eight years old, testified at the trial.
De Aragon admitted to having contact with the kids in order to do his job, but said he never touched them under their bathing suits.
"You have to touch the child obviously, the contact with them, hold them so they don't slip and go underneath the water," he testified.
De Aragon's attorneys argued that there's no DNA evidence or video that was entered as evidence.
City officials said De Aragon was a part-time water safety instructor who had been working at the center for just over a month. He was fired after his arrest.
