PALM BAY, Fla. – Palm Bay police say they have identified and arrested the man accused of inappropriately exposing himself to a girl near Southwest Middle School.
Rafael Andres Ramos-Rodriguez was booked into the Brevard County Jail Tuesday.
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Detectives say the 31-year-old approached the victim along Eldron Boulevard Friday in a black SUV. Ramos-Rodriguez asked the girl if she wanted to get into the car while exposing himself to her, according to a Palm Bay Police Department release.
Ramos-Rodriguez is now facing a charge of lewd exhibition on a victim younger than 18 years old.
The girl’s mother said her 14-year-old daughter was walking home from school Friday when the driver followed her with his pants off.
“She came running up the driveway crying and told me that somebody had approached her in a car and he had exposed himself to her,” Kerry Chase said.
Chase said the driver didn’t hesitate to ask her daughter to get in his SUV, even with the school resource officer’s car parked in front of the school.
Chase said the family immediately called the police.
“I knew that we had to take quick action and get the police out here,” she said.
With her daughter’s description of the suspect, police generated a sketch and then arrested Ramos-Rodriguez.
At the Brevard County jail, a judge set his bond at $100,000 under conditions that if he bonds out, Ramos-Rodriguez must wear an ankle monitor, stay away from schools and avoid contact with anyone under 18.
Palm Bay police applauded the girl for having the courage to come forward.
“She was awesome. Not only brave and smart to speak up about it, but she had a great description of the car and him as well,” Lt. Mike Smith said.
Chase said her daughter wanted to cooperate with the police because she was afraid the suspect could expose himself to another child.
“She can rest easy that this person isn’t going to approach her or any other child,” Chase said.