BODYCAM: Man accused of taking nude pictures of a child in a church

By Rachael Perry

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    PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida (WPBF) — Port St. Lucie police arrested an 18-year-old accused of taking nude pictures of a child at a local church.

The PSLPD said the accusations stem from an incident at Christ the King Presbyterian Church, where police say 18-year-old Manzo Morales had the child pray and promise that she wouldn’t tell anyone.

According to court records, the girl, a child under the age of 12, met Morales on the church’s playground the week before the reported incident. She said she didn’t see him again until the following Sunday, when she ran into him in the hallway.

The child told police she was under the belief that Morales was 15 years old and referred to him as a boy. However, detectives soon learned that Morales is actually 18 years old.

The PSLPD said the child told investigators that Morales told her he needed her help and to follow him into the bathroom. Once inside, she said the two sat on the floor, and Morales put his hands out with his palms up and told her to place her hands on top of his.

According to court records, “he then said a prayer that the [victim] promised not to tell anyone what they were doing and to do what he says.”

The child reportedly agreed and said Morales then stood up and told her to pose. She said he told her to remove her dress, and when she said she wasn’t comfortable doing that, the child said he responded that she promised to do what he said.

She said Morales then took photos of her nude.

According to court records, “he had her make several poses that required her to lift her leg and also stand against him. [The victim] stated that Manzo also took photos of her facing him, standing sideways, and also of her back.”

Detectives with the PSLPD said the victim told Morales that she was uncomfortable several times and that she wanted to leave. However, the victim said Morales would tell her ‘not yet’ and that ‘she promised him.’

The victim said he finally told her she could leave, and she eventually went home with her family.

A few hours later and court records show the victim told detectives she returned to the church with her family for evening services.

According to the probable cause statement, “this time she wore a shirt with a bra and a skirt with sewn-in shorts.” The victim told detectives that, after evening church services, Morales saw her outside near the playground and asked her again to help him take more photos of her.

The victim said she followed him to the bathroom, where he again told her to take off her clothes. The probable cause statement shows the victim told Morales she was not comfortable doing that.

According to court records, Morales told her that he would help her and proceeded to place his hands on her skirt, and she told him no and that she would do it herself. She said Morales had her pose for several more photos.

Detectives with the PSL said the victim recalled that, while in the bathroom, Morales was sitting on the floor and told her to sit on his lap facing him and her with her feet behind him. The victim states that she then heard someone calling for her and left.

Detectives said they asked the child if Morales had touched her inappropriately, to which she responded that he did not.

However, she said he reached towards her underwear, but she told him not to touch her there.

When detectives questioned Morales, they claimed several pictures were found on his phone, but did not disclose how many or what they were.

Investigators with the PSLPD arrested Morales on Monday on several felonies and one misdemeanor.

St. Lucie County court records list his charges as the following:

OBSCENE MATERIAL-POSSESS 10 OR MORE CHILD PORN IMAGE F2 OFF OBSCENITY-SELL LEND TRANSMIT ETC OBSCENITY HARM MINOR PUB ORD CRIMES – USE 2 WAY COMM DEVICE TO FACIL FELONY CRIM AGAINST PERS 18 YOA OR OLDE LUR ENTIC CHIL UNDER 12 YOA According to the arresting document, detectives interviewed several other church members, where one person reported that a year ago, there was an incident with Morales where he reportedly approached someone at the church and made sexual comments. The incident was not reported to law enforcement but instead to Morales’ father.

It’s unclear the age of the person he’s accused of making those comments towards.

WPBF 25 News reached out to the church for comment and it released the following statement:

“The leadership of Christ the King is fully cooperating with law enforcement officials as they carry out their investigation.”

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