Private school bus driver kissed and fondled 7-year-old girl, gave her food, cops say
Marcelo Ortega, 67, parked the private school bus in Miami, kissed the 7-year-old girl on the lips, fondled her and then exposed himself, Miami police said.
He then gave the little girl mangoes and chips.
Ortega, of Miami, now faces charges of lewd and lascivious molestation by an adult on a minor under 12, two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct on a child under 16, and one count of lewd and lascivious exhibition by an adult in front of a child under 16. He was being held Friday in Miami-Dade’s Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with no bond.
The little girl told her sister Tuesday about the assault, according to an arrest report.
“This very astute little girl was able to vocalize what happened right away,” said Kenia Fallat, a police spokeswoman. “This was a very traumatic experience.”
According to police, the girl’s sister called the bus company and spoke to the owner. The owner called her husband, who then went to the bus and took the girl and her sister home. Miami police did not release the name of the private bus company, but Miami Herald news partner CBS4 said the company is Kiko and Kika Bus Transportation Services.
A call to a cellphone number listed for the Miami-based company was not returned Friday evening. CBS4 said the company refused to answer a reporter’s questions.
Police did not say who reported the incident to authorities, but Ortega was taken into custody Thursday night. He refused to speak to detectives without a lawyer, according to the report.
The girl was interviewed on Wednesday by a member of University of Miami’s Child Protection Team.
According to court records, Ortega does not have a history of criminal charges, but he does have several traffic citations including careless driving.
Fallat said detectives are concerned that with his close contact with children as a bus driver there may be more victims.
Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
This story was originally published May 20, 2022 at 6:05 PM.
