Youth Care Worker Sexually Assaults Teen on Way to Shelter
A youth care worker sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl when he was supposed to be taking her to a children’s shelter. Marvin Gallion, 46, was arrested and charged with sexual assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He is currently being held on $40,000 bond at the Palm Beach County Jail.
According to the police, on January 27, 2015 Mr. Gallion was transporting a girl from the Wellington Regional Medical Center to the Safe Harbour emergency children’s shelter. He was not scheduled to work that shift but offered to pick the girl up anyway. While in transit between the medical center and the shelter, Mr. Gallion made an unscheduled stop at a gas station at the intersection of Forest Hill Boulevard and Jog Road.
The victim told the police that he stopped at the gas station to buy her cigars to calm her down because she had just been released from the medical center for a panic attack. Once he bought the cigars, Mr. Gallion drove to a corner of the parking lot, pulled her on to his lap, and then sexually assaulted her. The victim told police that she tried to hit the car horn to get help, but no one heard her.
After assaulting her, Mr. Gallion took her to Safe Harbour where she packaged her clothing in a bag and took a shower. The next day, the victim’s roommate at the shelter ran away with the clothes and left a note that read “Got the rape clothes” out of fear that Mr. Gallion would steal them. The police were later able to collect the clothing as evidence of the crime.
The executive director of the Palm Beach Division of Children’s Home Society of Florida wrote in a statement that “the well-being and safety of the children in their care is the society’s top priority. We have zero tolerance for these alleged behaviors, and we will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement and our community partners during the investigative process.” According to Safe Harbour, Mr. Gallion is no longer an employee of the shelter.
Florida Young Victim Sexual Assault
According to the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, multiple studies have shown that sexual abuse or assault that happens to children and teens can greatly increase the risk of a wide range of medical, psychological, behavioral, and sexual disorders that can last throughout adulthood. A survey done in 2009 showed that 6.1% of all children surveyed had been sexually victimized in the last year, and almost 10% surveyed had it happen during their lifetime. In addition, teens aged 14 to 17 were the most likely to be victimized by sexual assault, with 16.3% being victimized in the last year.
Contact a Florida Attorney Today
If you or someone that you know has been sexually assaulted as a minor or as an adult in the West Palm Beach area, let the experienced attorneys at Gary Roberts & Associates help. Call or contact the office today for a free, confidential, and compassionate review of your case.
