Euan-Alavez found guilty of child molestation despite change in young victim's statements

Miguel Euan-Alavez was found guilty of child molestation in Wilkes County Superior Court last week after a trial that showed two sides of his young victim.

Judge Hal Hinesley sentenced Alavez to 10 years, with five years in confinement.

The victim, who was 10 years old at the time of the crime, had con-

fided in school administrators that Alavez had touched her inappropriately over a period of months. The school authorities called in the Department of Family and Child Services, who also interviewed the victim.

Both the school counselor and DFACS case worker testified in the trial that the young victim told them in great detail what Alavez, who was the boyfriend of the victim's mother, had done to her.

Alavez was arrested and held on bond. During that time, Senior Assistant District Attorney Bill Doupé, friction between the victim and her mother apparently caused the girl to recant her testimony some six months after the arrest.

The victim testified at the trial that her first accusations were not true, that the molestation did not happen. "But the phrases she used weren't appropriate for a 12-year-old," Doupé said. "She sounded rehearsed."

The jury believed her first report and not the recanted testimony, and found Alavez guilty.

"No one can blame this little girl for changing her testimony," Doupé said. "She's under tremendous pressure to make it all right. But the jury understood that, and they found him guilty."

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