Girl asks Santa to stop her relative's molestation

PHARR - A 55-year-old Pharr resident was arrested after a young relative wrote a letter to Santa Claus wishing that the man would stop molesting her.

The 9-year-old girl wrote the letter and turned it in at Cesar Chavez Elementary School.

A counselor at the school "reported that the student had turned in a wish list to Santa wishing for her (relative) to stop touching her and her sister," according to a probable cause complaint.

Pharr police investigators believe Andres Enrique Cantu molested the girl throughout a four-year period, according to the complaint.

The Monitor is not disclosing Cantu's relationship to the victim to protect her identity.

The years of sexual abuse allegedly occurred in the girl's own bedroom while family members slept.

Cantu was arrested Friday and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a young child. His bond was set at $100,000. If convicted, Cantu could face 25 to 99 years in prison.

The girl wrote her letter to Santa Dec. 11.

The following day, she was interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center in Edinburg, which works with abused children. There, she told authorities the details of her molestation, according the complaint.

The counselor who reported the situation to police could not be reached for comment Monday. Pharr police investigators also could not be reached to discuss the alleged crime.

The charge against Cantu is a new one, created by the Texas legislature last year. It is part of a series of changes to the penal code called Jessica's Law, designed to heighten punishments of sexual predators.

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Ryan Holeywell covers McAllen, PSJA, the Mid-Valley and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4446.