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Flagler County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested a 13-year-old Indian Trails Middle School student Thursday morning on a charge of sexual battery on a victim under the age of 12, according to a press release by the Sheriff’s Office.

The teen is charged with inappropriately touching a 5-year-old girl in their Palm Coast home in the late evening hours of Jan. 10.

The victim told detectives that around 9 p.m., she was lying on a couch sleeping when she was awakened by the teenager who was pulling down her pants and underwear. The girl said the teenager then digitally touched her private area, but ran back to his bed when an adult approached the two.

The adult told deputies he found the girl in her room with her pants down around her feet. The teenager was arrested by detectives this morning.

“This is an upsetting case of abuse. We have our victim advocates working with the young girl and her parents to be sure she has access to the professional attention that she undoubtedly needs after such an experience,” Flagler County Sheriff James Manfre said in a statement.

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