Man accused of raping his daughters, ages 6 and 18, is taken into custody

SANTIAGO.- Last night officials from the 48th Family Commissary of the Police Information Service (SIP) of Coquimbo detained a 37 year old man accused of raping his two daughters, aged 6 and 18, in the municipality of Lo Espejo.

The individual, Santiago Ibáñez Aracena, was arrested at 11:00 p.m. in the sector of Totoralillo in the Fourth Region, where he had reportedly fled after his six year old daughter reported him this past December.

According to Commander Álvaro Fuenzalida, it is very possible that Ibáñez also sexually abused his 12 year old daughter and his stepsons, ages 3 and 1.

The commander also informed that, in fact, the man was already sentenced to three years in prison in 1996 for abusing his eldest daughter.

Fuenzalida added that, in response to the trauma, the entire family is currently under psychological treatment.

Case sources indicated that the mother of the victims had witnessed the constant sexual abuse, but that she had been too afraid to report him since he threatened her.

The woman also has photos of the abuse which she had taken as proof.