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Florida preacher accused in sexual assault of teen who babysat his 8 kids

DEERFIELD BEACH , Fla. — A Florida preacher is accused of sexually assaulting a girl who babysat his eight children for two months while his wife was in the hospital, authorities said.

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Junior Augustin, 34, of Deerfield Beach, was arrested Tuesday by Broward County Sheriff’s Office detectives, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

According to a Broward County Sheriff’s Office news release, Augustin was charged with sexual battery on a minor 16 or 17 years of age and sex offense of a victim over 12 and up to 15 years of age.

The girl stayed at Augustin’s home in January and February while his wife was in the hospital, according to the sheriff’s office. The girl returned to her home in March, the sheriff’s office said.

According to the victim’s mother, the teen began exhibiting behavior she described as “suspicious,” according to the news release. The woman searched her daughter’s cellphone and allegedly found sexually explicit photographs and messages with Augustin. In the messages, the victim and Augustin expressed their love for one another through the WhatsApp and Telegram apps, the sheriff’s office said.

Two times in March, Augustin confessed during a meeting that was regularly recorded at a church that he preyed on the victim, the Sun-Sentinel reported. The sheriff’s office did not include the name of the church in its news release, the newspaper reported.

Augustin is described as an evangelist in online videos of his sermons, according to the Sun-Sentinel.