Magdaleno Perez-Miranda, 32, of Avondale

A girl who sent text messages to a friend saying that she wanted to die sparked an investigation that has led to the arrest of an Avondale man for ongoing sexual assaults.

New Garden Township Police issued a press release on Tuesday saying that officers had responded to an area school on Jan. 7 and talked to a school counselor. The school had followed protocols and notified the Division of Children, Youth and Family that a girl had reported being sexually assaulted in her home by a family member. The assaults did not occur on school property.

The counselor told police that a friend of the girl contacted school authorities after getting text messages saying that the victim wanted to die. The counselor found the victim at school and interviewed her.

The girl said she had been the victim of sexual abuse for about five years at her home in New Garden Township. During an investigation and interview later that day, police learned that Magdaleno Perez-Miranda, 32, of Avondale, has had a relationship with the victim's mother for about 12 years. He is not biologically related to the victim.

He was located by New Garden Police at about 9 p.m., and taken into custody. He is charged with five counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, five counts of aggravated indecent assault, 10 counts of indecent assault, one count of endangering the welfare of children, and one count of corruption of minors.

On the morning of Jan. 8, Perez-Miranda was arraigned before judge Matt Seavey at Magisterial Court and taken to Chester County Prison in lieu of $2 million cash bail.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, e-mail [email protected].