Father of victim in sexual battery case at group home tells his story

ROCKLEDGE (FOX 35 Orlando) - A father’s heartbreak and outrage was on display at a press conference on Monday.

Police say his daughter, a mentally disabled woman, was sexually abused and got pregnant. And now a caregiver from the group home where she lives is charged.

“I don’t know how many time she was assaulted before he finally slipped up, many I’m sure because she would call up crying about somebody hurting her,” the man said. Fox 35 is not using his name to protect the identity of the victim.

This father, who lives in Sebastian, stood at the podium full of microphones because he is demanding justice. His daughter is 43-years-old but she has the mind of a 10-year-old.

Rockledge Police say she was the victim of sexual abuse, she got pregnant.

58-year-old Willie Shorter is charged for the sexual battery. He worked inside the community for the disabled in Rockledge. He was kept on as an employee after the allegations surfaced and after the baby was born.

It’s taken four years to file charges.

Police say there might have been a pattern and it's possible there was inappropriate sexual contact as recently as last year.

“I’m extremely angry and it takes a lot to hold down. The punishment I desire is not really legal, I would give him the same thing he gave to my daughter, but it could be in a prison built to hold his nasty self ,because he’s a rat, he’s a filthy vile rat,” the father said.

Management of the home, an organization called Bridges, responded last week when the story broke saying staff was “devastated,” but there’s been no additional comment.

This family says they can’t afford to move their daughter elsewhere and her needs can’t be met in their house.

They’re not sure what should happen next, but they’ve got a legal team helping them figure out the civil side and the justice side, meanwhile they’re busy with a little one again.

“My new grandson, her baby, we love him because he is an innocent person, so innocent, and he hugs on me like an octopus does to fresh food, he loves his pop-pop,” the victim’s father said.

The father praised Rockledge Police and the detective who handled the case thanking them for their persistence.The state attorney’s office has this case now.