RUNAWAY FOUND: Mint Hill man accused of raping 14-year-old from Pitt County

MINT HILL, N.C. — Mint Hill police say a local man was charged with statutory rape after being found with a runaway 14-year-old girl from Pitt County.

According to the Mint Hill Police Department on Wednesday, officers went to a home on Pine Needle Trail after the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office got a tip that the 14-year-old girl was there.

When officers arrived, they found 21-year-old Zachary Davis Soto with the girl, Mint Hill police said.

According to the department, Soto “had been in contact leading to her being picked up.” Police said the activity “appears to be consensual.”

MHPD didn’t say how Soto met the teenager, but the department wanted to “advise and/or remind children and parents of the dangers of social media and the internet.”

Soto was charged with two counts of statutory rape of a child under 15. He was booked into the Mecklenburg County Detention Center on a $100,000 secured bond, and that was amended to $50,000 on Monday, according to court records.

He was out of jail

Channel 9 is reaching out to police for additional details on Soto’s arrest.

Remove access to the most toxic things

Officers said it’s an example of why parents should watch who their kids are talking to on social media.

“Children are not able to play the tape forward, is what we call it,” said Melanie Hempe, the founder of ScreenStrong. “They’re not able to have the ability to think ahead, and they’re in the moment all the time.”

Hempe teaches families about problematic screen use through ScreenStrong.

She said parents should lead by example.

Hempe recommends families set rules for social media usage and stick with them.

“You have to also remove access to the most toxic things. And so, for social media, the way to resolve it is to have a family social media account on your phone, and you can enjoy the benefits of social media without the harm.”

Most importantly, Hempe said parents should sit down with their kids and talk about the risks.

“When you give them the reasons why something is bad for them, they will understand it a lot better,” she said.

Click here to learn more about ScreenStrong.

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