Safety and Security specialist weighs in on Tice child sexual assault

Reporter: Haley Zarcone Writer: Tim Belizaire
Published: Updated:

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said Raymond De Jesus approached a girl as she walked to her bus stop Thursday morning. A safety and security specialist weighed in on the situation.

He got ahold of her and dragged her to Schandler Hall Park. That’s where deputies said he held the girl at knifepoint and sexually battered her.

Esmeralda Zamora is a Tice resident and she said that what the girl went through was terrible.

“It’s awful to even though she had to endure all that, and she’s just a child. She was going to school,” said Zamora.

From Schandler Park, deputies found De Jesus hiding in this home off Prospect Ave.

The victim described De Jesus as “a little taller than her, dark hair with blue eyes.”

Kristen Ziman is a safety and security expert. She said the girl did a good job in identifying De Jesus.

“Even the boombox that he was carrying, and most specifically tattoos. And it was those tattoos that alerted law enforcement,” said Ziman. “This brave girl who was astute enough to have all of this in her memory and then to report it to police.”

Zamora said that more security measures need to be taken.

“Sad part about it is they need cameras in here at Schandler Park,” said Zamora. “When it comes down to it, all the children will always stop if they want to rest real quick.”

Ziman said that parents should communicate with their children when it comes to their safety.

“You know it in times like this, you’re not always going to be able to prevent it, but this is going to require parents to have regular conversations with their kids about personal safety,” said Ziman. “We’re in a day and age of ear pods and looking down at a phone and we’re not aware of our surroundings. We’ve really lost staying in that alert condition.”

For more information on traveling to and from school safely, click the link here.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.