- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free.
An 18-year-old Phoenix woman was arrested yesterday for molesting a 10-year-old girl who is the daughter of her one-time foster parents. The suspect, Yolanda Silva, was 16 at the time.
According to court documents obtained by New Times, Silva was in the custody of Child Protective Services in 2009 and placed with the family of the victim.
On August 20, 2009, the victim told her parents she was abused by Silva. Silva, however, had since run away from the home and police were unable to track her down -- until yesterday, anyway.
The 10-year-old victim told police Silva basically begged to perform oral sex on her. The girl repeatedly said no, but gave in when Silva said she would run away from home if she didn't let her do it. Silva also threatened to harm herself by holding a knife up to her own neck and hitting herself, the victim told police.
Following her arrest, Silva admitted to abusing the girl and that she knew it was wrong. She told police she felt bad about abusing the girl and even attempted suicide because of it.
Silva was booked on two counts of sexual conduct with a minor, one count of child molestation, and one count of sexual abuse.
It's unclear whether Silva's being charged as an adult, as the alleged crimes were committed when she was only 16. However, Maricopa County Attorney's Office spokesman Jerry Cobb tells New Times that it's not uncommon for minors to be charged as adults if they're close to the age of 17 when the crime is committed. He says it often depends on the severity of the crime.
Keep Phoenix New Times Free... Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Phoenix with no paywalls.
