Franklin Soccer Coach Camilo Hurtado Campos Allegedly Exploited Young Children: In U.S. Illegally
A "popular" youth soccer coach in Franklin, TN is being held for "Rape of a Child and Sexual Exploitation of a Minor." Adding insult to injury, it turns out Camilo Hurtado Campos, age 63, has admitted he is in the United States illegally, according to the Franklin Police Department.
According to the reporting from the Franklin Police, Campos admitted in a Homeland Security interview that he is in the U.S. illegally. He has lived in the suburb of Franklin for the past 20 years, according to reporting. Campos was held on July 10 at the Williamson County Criminal Justice Center on a $525,000 bond.
Detectives are still working to identify the children he allegedly abused. Detectives say they have identified three of ten victims they were looking for but also reported five more victims they "didn't know about" have also come forward.
According to reports, Campos' cell phone was found at a local restaurant. While attempting to identify the owner of the phone, staff found photos and videos of Campos allegedly "recording himself raping unconscious boys" between the approximate "ages of 9 and 17 years old." The staff handed the phone over to the local authorities after finding the images. Police are concerned that some of the boys were "in such an unconscious state, they might not even realize that they are victims."
Campos would allegedly approach children on local playgrounds to recruit them to his soccer team. He would then "earn their trust" and then "lure them to his home" where he would allegedly "drug and rape them." Unfortunately, this type of behavior is not unusual for child predators. The key to keeping children safe from this abhorrent behavior is to prevent the predator from having the opportunity and time to be alone with the child.
Unfortunately, it is sometimes the very people we trust our children with who end up abusing them. Predators may purposely choose professions that allow them unsupervised access to children. Sadly, teachers, coaches, and clergy have been known to prey on innocent children and parents are often unaware of the abuse.
There are behavioral signs that may alert a parent to the abuse:
While these signs may not automatically mean your child is being abused, it is important to listen to and observe for behavior that is unusual for your particular child. If you suspect abuse, immediately report the individual to local law enforcement.
The MamaBear Effect is an excellent resource that helps parents "learn about the different forms of abuse, what motivates abusers, and the impact on survivors." The website also provides helpful information on how to reduce the likelihood of abuse and what to say and do should you suspect your child is being abused.
Freedom Forever is now also offering crisis support for survivors and families. Please call the Crisis Resource Line at 615.307.0152 or email our resource specialist at Starr@FreedomForever.us.
If you or your child have been associated with Campos through the years, especially if he has been your child’s coach, Franklin Police want to hear from you at (615) 794-2513, or you can start an email conversation by clicking here.