Sex Offender Charged With Molesting 3-Year-Old

A registered sexual offender faces two charges of sexual battery on a child under 12, after detectives say he was discovered in a young child's bed at a home he was visiting.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office's Crimes Against Children Unit arrested Edwin Esmurria, 30, who is described in a press release as a transient. Esmurria is a registered sex offender.

Detectives say that Esmurria inappropriately touched a 3-year-old child while visiting the victim's residence.

The crime occurred during the early morning hours of Saturday, March 23, at a home in unincorporated Largo.

According to detectives, the suspect was with a friend of the victim's mother visiting her residence. The mother of the victim, the friend and the suspect had been visiting in the garage area of the home since 11:30 p.m. Friday, March 22.

According to detectives, the following incident occurred:

At about 4 a.m., the mother and her friend went outside to carry on a private conversation. While they were away, Esmurria entered the residence and got into the victim's bed and began to touch her inappropriately.

The victim's brother, who was also in the bed, woke up and saw what the suspect was doing and ran out to tell their mother. The mother ran inside the home to check on the child.

When she returned to the garage, she attacked Esmurria, and Esmurria attacked back. The friend separated the two and Esmurria then fled the scene on foot. He was later apprehended by deputies.

The suspect was arrested and charged with Sexual Battery on a Child Under 12 and two-counts battery, according to investigators.

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