A teenager has been charged with raping an 11-year-old girl inside a public bathroom at a park in Florida on Tuesday. The child was lured into the restroom in Miami-Dade after the teen, identified as 18-year-old Antwan Johnson, deceived her by pretending to need assistance.
The sexual assault was witnessed by someone who entered Gwen Cherry Park’s bathroom on 7090 NW 22nd Ave. A report, citing deputies from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, said the incident began when Johnson approached the 11-year-old girl around 7 a.m.
According to an MDSO arrest report, Johnson requested the girl to get toilet paper from the women’s bathroom, falsely claiming that there was none available inside the men’s bathroom.
When the child went inside the restroom, she was followed by Johnson. He then reportedly grabbed her and dragged her into a stall, where he subsequently raped her. The report said that during the assault, the child begged Johnson to stop and release her, but he continued until someone entered the bathroom.
When the witness walked into the bathroom and saw Johnson, he bolted out the door. The witness sounded an alarm, shouting to visitors at the park that the teen had raped a child in the bathroom. The citizens sprang into action, chasing Johnson until they managed to restrain him.
When police arrived on the scene, they found Johnson detained by the citizens and took him into custody. The child was transported to the hospital, and her condition was reported to be stable.
Footage of the arrest has surfaced, showing angry locals watching as officers place him inside their vehicle after lifting him from the ground. According to the person filming, the child’s family members were among the angry group. The person filming also indicated that Johnson was beaten before he was taken away, but did not mention who struck him.
Johnson, a resident of northwest Miami-Dade, initially denied the assault, according to deputies. He eventually admitted to raping the child, acknowledged his wrongdoing, and apologised, per the report. He was formally charged with sexual battery of a minor, kidnapping, and false imprisonment of a minor. A report from USA Crime says that rape carries a potential death sentence. Johnson remains at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Centre, and no bond has been set for him.
