Allentown Brother Charged With Child Rape Months After Sister’s Suicide: DA

By Jillian Pikora From Daily Voice

WARNING THIS CASE IS DISTURBING

A Pennsylvania big brother allegedly turned abuser has been charged with child rape and sexual assault following his sister’s suicide earlier this year, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced on Friday, Oct. 31.

Christian De Jesus Tavares, 25, of Allentown, was charged with Felony Rape of a Child, Felony Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse with a Child, Felony Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Felony Indecent Assault of a Victim Under 13, and Felony Corruption of Minors, according to the DA’s office and court filings.

Tavares was arraigned before District Judge Ronald Manescu and released on $50,000 unsecured bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 17, at 11 a.m.

Police: Victim Came Forward After Sister’s Death

According to Allentown Police Detective Suzanne Toth, the case began on April 29, when a victim identified as J.T., born in 2010, reported that he was sexually assaulted by Tavares when he was 5 years old at their family’s home in Allentown.

During a forensic interview, the child described Tavares showering with him and sexually assaulting him, telling him, “It’s going to hurt. Don’t look back.” The affidavit states that the child said he finally disclosed the abuse after the suicide of his sister, Michelle Tavares, on Thursday, April 17, who left behind a note detailing her own abuse at the hands of Tavares.

Detective Toth wrote that Michelle’s note specifically named her brother as her abuser and that her death led to the investigation and subsequent charges.

Michelle’s Story

Michelle Tavares, 24, was a registered nurse and Villanova University graduate who had just begun working in the emergency department, according to those close to her. She died by suicide while walking along a Philadelphia trail.

Her best friend, Kay Robyn, shared a public post describing Michelle’s years-long struggle with depression following her disclosure that her brother, Christian, had sexually assaulted her as a child.

“She left a note stating what had happened to her all these years and why she had taken her life,” Robyn wrote. “Her parents protect that man knowing he had been her abuser and rapist for years.”

Michelle's letter found after her suicide.

Instagram/Kay @kayyrobyn

Siblings Speak Out

Michelle’s younger siblings, later went public with their own accounts of sexual and physical abuse by their brother.

Zully said the assaults began when she was 5 years old, describing multiple incidents over several years and recalling being rushed to the hospital as a child with injuries her parents blamed on “dirty school bathrooms.”

Zully's statement posted on X

X/❛ ❜☾moonxboyluno☆❛ ❜ @BerlunoJupiter

J. T. said he was only 5 when Christian assaulted him in the shower. “I told Dad that Christian put something up my butt and it hurts a lot,” he wrote. “He brushed it off like nothing.”

J.T. statement shared on X (formerly twitter)

X/❛ ❜☾moonxboyluno☆❛ ❜ @BerlunoJupiter

Both siblings say Michelle protected them as much as she could and later encouraged them to speak to authorities. They described her as their protector and the only person who believed them.

Remembering Michelle

Michelle will be remembered for her compassion, strength, and dedication to helping others both inside and outside the hospital, according to her obituary shared by K.V. Knopp Funeral Home. Her kindness touched countless lives — from the patients she cared for to the friends and siblings she loved fiercely. Those who knew her will forever cherish her bright spirit, resilience, and the empathy she carried through every challenge.