Clearlake man arrested in sex abuse of 3-year-old girl

A 39-year-old man was taken into custody after two people brought a toddler to the Clearlake police station to report sexual abuse.|
ELOÍSA RUANO GONZÁLEZ
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A Clearlake man suspected of sexually assaulting a 3-year-old girl was arrested Friday, police said.

Joseph Louis Flores, 39, was taken into custody after authorities obtained a $1 million warrant for his arrest, according to the Clearlake Police Department. Flores was arrested at home without incident and booked into the Lake County Jail, police said. He faces five felony sexual abuse charges, including aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14 and lewd or lascivious acts involving a child.

Authorities launched the investigation into the sexual abuse after two people reportedly brought the toddler into the station on Aug. 13 to report the abuse. Police said they found sufficient evidence to put the girl in into protective custody. She then was released to Child Protective Services and placed into a temporary home, police said.

It remains unclear how Flores knew the girl.

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