JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – A 24-year-old man accused of sexual battery on his girlfriend's 4-year-old daughter was arrested Tuesday night in Jacksonville Beach.
According to police, Jvaun Antoine-Demontaire Owens confessed in November to his on-again, off-again girlfriend that her child performed oral sex on him in an apartment bathroom some time before Halloween.
The girl's mother went to police the next day, and Owens was arrested Tuesday after a warrant was obtained.
He is being held without bond.
According to police, Owens couch-hopped in Jacksonville Beach and, most recently, was living in a woman's converted garage, where he was arrested.
Margie Cato said she opened her home to Owens out of the goodness in her heart, not knowing much about him other than that he needed a place to stay. He worked at Beach Bowl with Cato’s nephew.
“He was very quiet and not too easy to approach. I didn’t feel too comfortable, but he never did anything or said anything mean," Cato said. "I know he wanted a bigger place with a kitchen. He said at first, maybe, two days, then he said, no, two months, I’ll probably stay. But nothing was definite.”
She said they were approaching the two-week mark Tuesday when police showed up outside her door.
“All of a sudden, I saw a lot of cars here. I don’t know how many were here, but the woman police came over, since I was looking out at what was going on," Cato said. "She says, 'Don’t come out. Stay inside. We’ve got someone we’re arresting.'”
Ellis Carswell said his co-worker was roommates with Owens at one point, and he is disgusted by the accusations.
"I have nieces. I have kids. A child -- that’s a little girl. When little girls go through something like that, it’s really rough," Carswell said. “I hope justice gets served. I hope he doesn’t get away with what he did. I’m pretty sure everybody does. It’s not nice.”