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Chattanooga police arrest third employee of shelter housing unaccompanied migrant children

Chattanooga Times Free Press - 9/16/2021

Sep. 16—The Chattanooga Police Department on Thursday announced the arrest of a third employee connected to the now-closed Highland Park shelter that housed unaccompanied migrant children.

Rebeka Perez, 22, was charged with sexual battery by an authority figure and is being held at the Silverdale Detention Center.

According to the police report, Perez was accused of kissing a then-16-year-old boy who was being housed at the facility.

This is the third arrest the police department has made in connection to potential child abuse at the facility.

In July, police arrested a 22-year-old employee and charged her with sexual battery by an authority figure. In June, police arrested a 35-year-old employee and charged her with sexual battery by an authority figure, coercion of a witness and tampering with evidence.

The Chattanooga shelter was operated by the Georgia-based Baptiste Group under a federal contract granted under the administration of former President Donald Trump to provide housing and services for unaccompanied migrant children.

Under Gov. Bill Lee, the Tennessee Department of Children's Services licensed the shelter last year, then expanded and renewed the license in February.

The shelter became controversial in May after WRCB-TVChannel 3 aired video of migrant children traveling at nighttime to the shelter, on the campus of the former Tennessee Temple University.

The operation was shut down July 1 after the state suspended the group's child care license in light of the allegations of child abuse.

Contact Wyatt Massey at wmassey@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249. Follow him on Twitter @news4mass.

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