ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando mother of a 5-year-old is speaking out for the first time and only to Channel 9 after her family lived what she called a nightmare.
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“I was in shock. My daughter told me, ‘Mom, something weird happened,’ and she started to disclose things that I cannot even say, she said in Portuguese.
The family moved to the United States from Brazil in 2019 and settled in Orlando. The woman started working as a personal assistant to a well-known Brazilian gospel singer – named Heloisa Rosa.
Both women had daughters of the same age, and naturally, the two families got closer.
“We could say we were very close friends. And with the girls being the same age, they always wanted to be together,” she said. “One time, Heloisa told me her daughter was very lonely, so one time, she asked to let my daughter sleep over. And I allowed it because I trusted her.”
On the way home after that night, her daughter told her what happened and what Rosa’s husband allegedly did to her.
But because of her immigration status, and for not being able to fully communicate in English, the woman did not immediately go to the police.
“Immigrant families will always feel uncertain about a situation like this,” she said. “We have to be in touch with the police almost daily, give our testimony. That is frightening, especially when you try to explain something, but you don’t have the vocabulary.”
Read: Brevard County man pleads guilty to possession of child sex abuse material
The women then got help from Hope and Justice Foundation, a Central Florida nonprofit focused on helping immigrants who are domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking survivors. “We have been helping them, going through the process with the police, with the detectives,” said Renata Alves Galindo with the foundation. “We’ve been helping them with the psychological process, giving them support.”
The organization works to empower survivors to end the cycle of violence and help them stand on their feet. “Predators know about the level of vulnerability of the immigrants,” said Anna Alves-Lazaro, founder of Hope and Justice Foundation. “They are limited in many levels, from not knowing the language to not knowing their rights.”
Kissimmee Police arrested 42-year-old Marcus Grubert, Heloisa Rosa’s husband.
He was charged with sexual battery on a victim younger than 12 years old, appeared before a judge on May 23, and was denied bond.
And for the mother, it was a victory.
“We fought for this. It brings me a feeling of justice,” she said. “I always believed in my daughter. So, it is important for everyone to know – listen to your children. We need to pay attention to what they have to say.”
Channel 9 reached out to the singer for comment and is waiting to hear back.
Resources
If you or someone you know need help, resources are available regardless of your immigration status or English proficiency.
Se você precisa de suporte em Português, a Hope & Justice Foundation é uma das organizações localizadas na região da Flórida Central que pode oferecer apoio. O grupo ajuda pessoas que sobreviveram casos de violência doméstica, tráfico humano, ou abuso infantil.
Endereço - 8810 Commodity Cir STE 5, Orlando, FL 32819 | Telefone: (407) 893-1477 | hopeandjusticefoundation.com
Si necesita apoyo en Español, Hope & Justice Foundation puede ayudar. El grupo ayuda a personas que han sobrevivido a casos de violencia doméstica, trata humana, explotacion sexual, y abuso infantil.
Sitio web - hopeandjusticefoundation.com
Centro de Servicio a Víctimas de Florida Central
- Orange County: (407) 254-9415
- Osceola County: (407) 483-7386
- Seminole County: (321) 972-4465
Centro de Defensa de los Niños - (407) 317-7430 | CACCentral.com (Condado de Orange y Osceola)
Victim Services University of Central Florida - (407) 823-1200 | victimservices.ucf.edu
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