On February 19, 2026, the Lynn Haven Police Department received information from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department that a sexual abuse occurred in Lynn Haven Florida.
The mother and her 16-year-old daughter lived in Lynn Haven for approximately a year and during this time the mother’s boyfriend, 24 year old Yudial Cepero Hurtado, moved in with them. Toward the end of December 2025, the mother broke off the relationship with Hurtado because of his infidelity, and she moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Once in Fort Lauderdale, the mother noticed her 16-year-old daughter’s behavior was changing. At that time, the victim’s mother learned that between November and December 2025, while she was at work, Hurtado allegedly forced her daughter to participate in sexual activities against her will. This occurred several times and the daughter was scared to report it because Hurtado was in a custodial role.
The Lynn Haven Police Department and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department coordinated the investigation with the Florida Department of Children and Families. Based on the information gathered during the investigation, the Lynn Haven Police Department Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Sexual Battery on a person older than 12 years of age but younger than 18 years of age by a person in a custodial role.
LHPD provided this information to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Division. On March 14, 2026, deputies with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office located and arrested Hurtado without incident.
Chief Lewis Blanchard of the Lynn Haven Police Department stated that LHPD is greatly appreciative of the work conducted by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office along with our LHPD Detectives. By working together and sharing information across jurisdictions, law enforcement agencies are better able to hold offenders accountable and ensure that victims receive the protection and support they deserve.
