Man accused of kidnapping and sexually abusing a 14-year-old near LoanDepot Park – NBC 6 South Florida

Residents of Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood are reeling after a man allegedly kidnapped a 14-year-old girl near LoanDepot Park and then sexually assaulted her.

Akil Nathaniel Cousins, 27, was arrested on Sunday. He is accused, among other things, of three cases of sexual abuse of a victim between the ages of 12 and 17, kidnapping and causing a public nuisance, according to a police report.

Neighbors told NBC6 on Tuesday that Cousins ​​would frequent the area, particularly a senior home where he was evicted several times for entering.

According to the report, the 14-year-old victim said she was kicked out of her home and was sitting on a bench at Northwest 14th Avenue and 7th Street near LoanDepot Park in Little Havana around 9 a.m. Sunday when Cousins ​​​came towards her.

She said he grabbed her hand and led her across the street to a parking garage before they went into the lobby of a nearby apartment building, where Cousins ​​pulled down his pants and forced the girl to perform a sex act on him, says the report.

The girl said they got into an elevator and came out of the sixth floor, where they helped a woman bring her groceries to her apartment.

The teen said she whispered to the woman to call the police, but the woman didn’t and cousins ​​sexually assaulted her again while they waited for the elevator, the report said.

Cousins ​​and the teen left the building, where the girl was able to run to a nearby church for help.

“This individual continued the sexual act inside the building in the hallway area,” said Miami Police Department spokesman Freddy Cruz. “The victim was later able to leave the area and go to a church.”

Akil Nathaniel Cousins ​​appears in Miami-Dade bond court.

A short time later, police received a report of a man exposing himself at a retirement community and took Cousins ​​into custody, the report said.

While in police custody, an officer saw Cousins ​​masturbating, the report said.

Cousins, who the report says is homeless, was later taken to jail. He appeared in court Monday and was held without bail.

Records showed Cousins ​​was arrested on an indecent exposure charge in a separate case just last year.

“If you know this person, have information or perhaps have been a victim of this person, please come forward because this is a person who needs to say something behind bars,” Cruz said.