Family friend arrested in child's death

CARROLLTON, Texas, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Police arrested a family friend in the sexual assault and stabbing death of an Oklahoma City girl who had been visiting Texas relatives.

Jose Sifuentes, 23, was jailed in Dallas County in the death of Jasmen Gonzalez, 10, whose body was found just blocks from the home of relatives she had been visiting in Carrollton, Texas, The Oklahoman reported. Carrollton Police said they found human blood and a knife in Sifuentes' sport-utility vehicle, along with rubber gloves, part of a gold-colored charm and strands of hair, The Oklahoman said.

Investigators said Monday Jasmen died from a stab wound to the chest and likely had been sexually assaulted, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

Police said Jasmen was shirtless and her pants and underwear had been pulled down to her knees. Her body was found just 2 blocks from the apartment where she was visiting relatives, police said.

She was last seen alive about 11:15 p.m. Saturday and her body was found outside another residence about 3:35 p.m. Sunday, WFAA-TV, Dallas, reported.

Police said she had been kidnapped and were interviewing a 23-year-old man they called "a person of interest."

The man, described by police as a friend of the relatives Jasmen and her family were visiting, was in the apartment when Jasmen was last seen about 11:15 p.m.

About 15 minutes later, relatives realized the girl was not in the bedroom where she had been sleeping.

"Once the occupants of the apartment realized that Jasmen was missing, they realized that [the man] was also missing for an approximate 15-minute period," an affidavit filed in the investigation stated.