Palmetto man charged with sexually abusing a child, cops say
A 23-year-old Palmetto man is facing two charges of lewd and lascivious battery on a child and sexual battery on a child, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives say Austin Peter Doyle sexually abused the child, listed between the ages of 12 and 16, on multiple occasions.
Investigators were able to review several text messages from Doyle to the victim, including one that said, “I made the biggest mistake ever and ruined my life.”
An arrest warrant was obtained Dec. 8 and Doyle was taken into custody on Wednesday where he refused to speak to investigators without an attorney.
He was booked into the Manatee County jail on the charges and released Friday morning after posting $45,000 in bonds.