Former Arkansas school aide arrested for alleged involvement in husband's purported rape of minors

BENTON COUNTY, Ark. (TCD) -- A former school aide was arrested for her alleged involvement in her husband’s reported sexual abuse of minor girls.

According to a probable cause affidavit for Minerva Cosio, on Jan. 22, an officer and detective with the Lowell Police Department went to her home to execute a warrant regarding "her involvement in the sexual and psychological abuse conducted by her husband, Ralph Cosio."

The affidavit, which was redacted, states Minerva took two girls over to Ralph’s house on an "unknown amount of occasions" to go swimming. The girls would sometimes stay overnight at Ralph’s apartment.

The affidavit says Minerva did this "having known or should have known of some if not all the abuse that had previously occurred and was reportedly continuing to happen to one or both" of the girls, whose identities were withheld. Minerva reportedly told the girls she was sexually abused and that she "was now stronger for concealing it and staying in the home with the alleged offender."

Benton County Jail records show Ralph was taken into custody in November on 19 charges, including three counts of rape, two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, two counts of sexual indecency with a child, and more.

A probable cause affidavit for Ralph states that on Oct. 24, a girl went to the Lowell Police Department to report that her friend told her she had been sexually abused. According to the affidavit, which was also heavily redacted, the girl said her friend told her when she was "younger and up until about her 5th grade of school," her father touched her "in inappropriate areas on her body and made her do 'things.'"

The alleged victim reportedly showed up at the police station later that day to file a report regarding the purported abuse. The probable cause affidavit says Ralph allegedly made the victim and another girl go "into his room and make them undress." The abuse allegedly occurred when their mother was at work and he "would buy them toys, specifically named were 'American Dolls,' as bribery for their silence."

The girl told detectives Ralph allegedly touched them "basically our whole lives."

According to KNWA-TV, Minerva previously worked at Elza Tucker Elementary School as a secretary aide and had been employed by the school district for 16 years. Minerva’s affidavit says she was charged with permitting abuse of a child, intimidating a witness, and endangering the welfare of a minor. She had no criminal history prior to this arrest.

KNWA reports her bond was set at $25,000.

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