Child abuse investigator accused of child abuse
NORTH PORT - A state child abuse investigator was arrested on three counts of child abuse Friday by North Port police.
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| Peter Arturo Crane Leming |
Peter Arturo Crane
Leming, 44, of the 1800 block of Denali Street, an investigator with the
Florida Department of Children & Families, turned himself in to
North Port police about 11 p.m. Friday.
Crane
Leming was charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior with
a victim younger than 12, and one count of sexual assault with a victim
under 12. He remains in the Sarasota County jail without bond.
According
to documents filed with the court, North Port Police received a call
from a Venice hospital emergency room Friday. Officers were told two
5-year-old girls had been sexually abused in North Port.
The
two victims told investigators Crane Leming touched their genitals
underneath their clothing. One of the victims told police she touched
Crane Leming's genitals.
The
victims reportedly said they frequented his home to play games on his
tablet computer, and to play with a puppy he had recently purchased.
North
Port Police Chief Kevin Vespia said Crane Leming denied the accusations
during an interview with Detective Mary Thoroman, who was assigned the
case.
Terri Durdaller, a
spokeswoman for DCF, said in a statement that if the allegations are
true, they "betray the trust and confidence that all Floridians have in
our Department's employees."
According
to Durdaller, Crane Leming passed a pre-employment background
investigation, and had never been the subject of any complaints or
investigations "related to his work at the department."
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