New Information on the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl by a Coral Springs man in the Coral Square Mall parking lot
Coral Springs, Florida – A 14-year-old girl and her friend were dropped off at Paragon Theaters in Coral Springs two days prior to New Year’s Eve, but they were later turned away.
Shortly after 7:15 p.m., the two made the decision to stroll through Coral Square Mall’s parking lot.
According to a police complaint, on December 29, she ran into Hosea Smith Jr., 33, who was shopping Kohl’s at 9001 Atlantic Boulevard with his wife and niece.
The girl claimed that Smith started pursuing her and struck up a discussion with her, responding, “Because you looked good,” when she questioned why he was doing so, according to the article.
According to the complaint, Smith allegedly disregarded the girl’s response when he asked her age, telling police that it “didn’t matter” after she disclosed that she was 14.
According to the investigation, she then told police that Smith had tried to rape her after exposing himself to her and removing her shorts and underwear.
According to the claim, Smith took her phone and dialed his number, possibly in an attempt to get in touch with her once more.
After she fled, she alerted her parents, who then contacted the police. Injuries found after a medical examination at the Nancy J. Cotterman Center in Oakland Park confirmed the girl’s account of Smith’s attempted rape.
Smith was apprehended by police after a traffic stop after they were able to locate him using the girl’s phone number.
According to the article, Smith first denied having any contact with the girl during a police interview.
Several times, he lied, but he eventually acknowledged that he had gone up to her and asked for her phone number so his wife could “have more friends.”
He claimed that the victim had falsely represented herself as eighteen and that he had never touched her.
According to the complaint, Smith also told detectives that the victim had begged him to come forward.
Smith was on probation for burglary and grand theft at the time of his arrest.
He is currently facing charges of indecent and lascivious exhibition, lewd and lascivious molestation, sexual battery, and probation violation.
According to court documents, Smith was still detained without bond at the Broward County Jail on Sunday.
