HOUSTON – Shortly after Houston police released pictures of a man captured on surveillance video pushing a stroller at the Target on FM 1960 in northwest Houston saying he was a suspect in a child indecency case, Raymond Mendez got a call from a friend.
"(She was) concerned because she had seen this in the news,” Mendez said.
Mendez said he was in the store on May 13 and went to the restroom with his daughter, who was in a stroller. But he said he did not touch a 9-year-old boy.
Mendez said, "I want people to know that I'm not this person that they are looking for. Yes. I was at Target. Yes. I used the facilities."
He said he and his attorney, William Van Buren, voluntarily talked to police Monday and answered all questions.
"I explained to them exactly what happened that day as far as where I was and the time I got there ... approximately what time I got there. And what the intent was to do at that Target, which was to get my medicine," Mendez said.
Van Buren said his client did nothing wrong and was a person of interest, not a suspect.
"It's amazing how quickly somebody's life can be damaged, turned around, destroyed even once this is cleared, and I firmly believe it will be absolutely cleared. He still is going to carry somewhat of a stigma," Van Buren said.
Mendez said he wants his name cleared.
"I want to be able to get my life back. It's a hard thing. You walk into somewhere and you think everyone is staring at you. It feels worse. You know you're not the person they're looking for," he said.
Houston police said the investigation continues and that no one has been arrested in connection with this case.