MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – After sexually assaulting and shooting a boy in Miami-Dade’s Brownsville neighborhood, a man drove to Miami Beach and he told police that he had been the victim of a robbery, police said.
Aliex Santiesteban, 43, stands accused of kidnapping a 12-year-old boy and leaving him for dead early Saturday morning, News 6 partner Local 10 News reported. Detectives detained Santiesteban on Monday at his apartment at Island Living, steps away from Miami’s Overtown Youth Center.
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“We definitely have DNA evidence that is compelling, as well as physical evidence that we know the subject was in the area due to good old-fashioned police work,” said Maj. Brian Rafky, of the Miami-Dade Police Department’s special victims bureau.
Officers booked Santiesteban on Tuesday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he remained on Wednesday. Judge Judith K. Rubenstein determined he poses a great danger to children in the community and denied his bond.
Detective Alvaro Zabaleta said the boy placed pillows in his bed, snuck out of his room on Friday night, and walked about two miles to a friend’s house. Santiesteban ran into the boy when he was walking back home, police said.
Santiesteban forced the boy inside his car near the intersection of Northwest 31st Avenue and Northwest 43rd Terrace, according to the police report. He used the child locks to hold him and parked near the intersection of Northwest 45th Street and 31st Avenue to abuse him, police said.
Santiesteban was injured during a struggle, shot the boy in the face and left him to die, police said.
“The young boy says he couldn’t see at the time. He had lost his sight and he was using his touch trying to find his way around to seek help,” Zabaleta said.
A good Samaritan escorted the boy to the Foodland Market at Northwest 37th Avenue and 47th Street. That’s where police officers and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel found the boy, who remains at Jackson Memorial Hospital on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Santiesteban drove to Miami Beach and summoned police officers near the intersection of Euclid Avenue and 10th Street to lie about a hand injury that he suffered during the struggle with the boy, police said.
Officer Ernesto Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Miami Beach Police Department, said Tuesday that Santiesteban alleged he was the victim of a robbery. He received medical attention at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, police said.
Santiesteban had a cast on his left hand when he was booked at TGK. He is facing charges of attempted murder, sexual battery with a deadly weapon/serious injury and kidnapping a child under 13.
“That’s the face of evil right there,” MDPD Director Alfredo Ramirez said during a news conference pointing to Santiesteban’s mug shot.
Detectives are asking anyone with information about other victims to call the special victims bureau at 305-715-3300 or Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
Local 10 News reporter Terrell Forney and assignment desk editor Emily Hales contributed to this report.
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