A Calgary man burst into tears as he was acquitted of sexually assaulting his foster daughter Tuesday.
Fortunato Jinon, 48, was pronounced innocent of the allegations spanning from December 2014 to February 2015.
Upon hearing the verdict, Jinon fell into the arms of his weeping wife, before both left the courtroom with a half-dozen supporters.
Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Suzanne Bensler said while both the complainant and accused were believable in their testimony, the man’s guilt remained in reasonable doubt.
“I’m satisfied his testimony does raise a reasonable doubt in my mind,” she said.
The case revolved around a car ride home from a Christmas Eve party in 2014 in which Jinon was a passenger and his wife drove the vehicle.
As Jinon rode with several children, the complainant, then an 11-year-old, claimed her foster father had sexually touched her through her clothes.
The accusations included inappropriate hugs involving Jinon, who was also acquitted of indecent touching.
The young girl told an elementary school teacher that she’d been sexually touched multiple times by a man acting as her foster parent.
She also said another child had been assaulted by the man.
Said Bensler of her testimony: “She appeared very genuine, there is no reason to disbelieve (her).”
A boy living in the same home told police he’d been assaulted, confined in a dark room then forced outside in freezing weather without adequate clothing.
But the charge of assault from that accusation was dropped.
In August 2014, the children had been placed in the New Brighton foster home that had seen 25 such kids over the years, court heard.
At the time the charges were laid in June 2015, all the other foster children were removed from the home and placed with Siksika Family Services.
Two of the accused’s biological children remained in the Jinons’ care.
on Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn