Add subduing sex offenders that break into your daughter’s bedroom to the list of things that one Stanislaus County father is able to do around his home. The daring dad was horrified to discover predicate offender Daniel Diaz lurking INSIDE his young daughter’s bedroom and responded quickly to protect his little girl. Diaz has a violent and deviant history with the justice system, having been previously convicted of sexually based offenses including assault with intent to rape in 2009. He was far from reformed, having been additionally charged and sentenced in conjunction with the battery of a custodial officer in 2020, two years following his release from state prison in 2018. He had also repeatedly violated his parole.
On the evening of July 6, 2021, however, Diaz picked the wrong house and the wrong dad. The mother told responding deputies that the family had previously busted the felon peeping into her daughter’s bedroom window on other occasions. Diaz broke into the home and hid inside the girl’s closet, waiting until she had gone to bed before emerging. Her father heard the commotion, and along with other family members, acted fast to subdue the criminal. According to police reports, the father taped Diaz’s hands and secured him in place until law enforcement arrived.
Thankfully, nothing happened to the child and nobody was injured in the takedown, including the suspect. The five-year-old girl may have a long road ahead before she feels safe in her room, according to experts familiar with childhood traumas such as this. In the United States, nearly one in three girls and one in four boys will be the victim of a sexual assault as a minor. These statistics are alarming, but what is important to consider is that cases like Daniel Diaz are atypical. Children are more likely to be the victim of an assault from a trusted adult or caregiver than a stranger. In the case of Diaz, law enforcement officials consider this a very lucky near miss. According to the mother’s disclosure to reporters via a translator, Diaz had been seen around the home attempting to open locked doors and exposing his genitals through windows on prior occasions, a clear indication that he was escalating. Neighbors around the home voiced their apprehension that a dangerous predator like Diaz had chosen their community to scout victims, and are now demanding answers from government officials as to the failure of the justice system’s protections to prevent this incident from happening at all.
If you, or someone you know, is the suspected victim of a sexual assault, it is important that you notify the authorities immediately. Additional family resources are also available at no cost through the Rape, Assault, Incest National Network at http://www.rainn.org The RAINN organization was a non-profit foundation started by musician Tori Amos as a public outreach following her own assault. The authors of this story are thankful to everyone who contributed, and strongly encourage parents to have tough talks with their children early on. Ensuring that children understand “my body, my choice” when it comes to being hugged or touched, as well as having a family safety plan, can prevent many regrettable instances of harm and abuse. Follow this space for more leading news stories from around the web.
