ARREST OF SOUTH FLORIDA THERAPIST FOR RAPING 14-YEAR OLD PATIENT SHOCKS COMMUNITY
On Sunday, November 8, 2020 a licensed mental health therapist was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Florida for allegedly raping and molesting his 14-year-old patient. According to law enforcement records, Fernando Gautier, 36, would book sessions with patients at their schools, homes and daycares. He is accused of raping the his female patient multiple times beginning when she was 13 years old, in his car, in a stairwell and in the victim’s apartment.
During the COVID-19 shutdown, therapy sessions were conducted through video calls, where Gautier also had the girl perform virtual sex. Messages found between Gautier and the victim show “the subject spoke about wanting to repeat the previous sexual experiences with the victim.”
The arrest warrant said the alleged abuse started in January. It was only when the victim’s mother found out Gautier was fired from his agency that she became aware of the alleged rape and molestation. His license as a Register Clinical Social Worker Intern was issued in February 2020.
Gautier was arrested on one count of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 16. He will stay in jail until his trial, potentially at the end of 2021, as the charges brought against him are not bondable.
One in five Americans suffers from a mental health illness that affects their mood, thinking and behavior. Many children have anxieties, fears and worries, and may feel sad and hopeless from time to time. When parents book a counseling appointment they trust the licensed mental health professional will develop a therapy plan that works best for the child and family. It is unacceptable, immoral and unlawful for any therapist to touch a client in any sexual manner.
Horowitz Law has filed numerous sexual misconduct claims against massage therapists on behalf of clients who were inappropriately touched by health care professionals. If you have been a victim of sexual assault or sexual battery by a therapist or counselor, or if you know someone who has, please contact our law firm at 888-283-9922 or send an e-mail to sexual abuse lawyer Adam Horowitz at [email protected] for a free consultation.