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Written by: K. Bishop
Published April 25, 2023 @ 4:40 PM ET
Warning: The following story contains information regarding sexual violence against children.
COMMERCE, Ga. – On January 23, 2023, a ten-year-old girl, escorted to the sheriff’s office by her father, confided in a deputy that her stepfather had sexually assaulted her. The child, embarrassed to discuss the assault with the male deputy, wrote a statement about the abuse.
According to reports, the girl lived with her stepfather, Adrian Donald Pitts, 41, during the alleged molestation. Pitts is accused of assaulting the child between December 2021 and January 2022.
During that winter, the girl says Pitts made inappropriate comments, touched her, and used a massage gun to sexually abuse her. The abuse occurred on several occasions. The child only felt comfortable providing a witness statement form after speaking with the male deputy, who chose not to press the girl for information due to her discomfort. The child victim requested a female investigator so that she would feel safe sharing details of the incidents.
Pitts was arrested on March 17, 2023. He was charged with aggravated child molestation, sexual battery, child molestation, and cruelty to children – criminal negligence/causing excessive physical or mental pain and booked into the Banks County Jail. This case is currently pending in court.
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On January 23, 2023 at approximately 19:00, Deputy Cooter responded to 160 Windmill Farm Rd., being the Banks County Sheriff’s Office, regarding a walk-in report about a sexual assault already occurred.
Once on scene Deputy Cooter made contact with the Complainant and the Victim who advised that between December 2021 and January 2022 she was sexually assaulted roughly five to six different times within that month period by the offender, the step father of the victim, while they resided together at [200 BLOCK] Hudson River Dr. Commerce, GA. The victim advised she was 10-years old at the time of the incidents.
The victim advised Deputy Cooter that she did not feel comfortable at the time telling Deputy Cooter details of the events and wanted to only complete a witness statement form and speak with a female investigator when possible. The victim did tell Deputy Cooter that the offender would make inappropriate remarks to her, touched her inappropriately multiple times, and one incident used a massage gun on her privates.
Deputy Cooter did not ask the victim further questions based on this request and allowed the victim to complete a witness statement form. Deputy Cooter spoke with the complainant, the victim’s biological father, outside away from the victim. Deputy Cooter provided the complainant with a business card including the case number, a business card for the Georgia Crisis Center, and explained the temporary protective order process.
Deputy Cooter scanned and attached the victim’s statement to this report placing the original in original documents box. Deputy Cooter’s Axon Body Camera was activated during his investigation. Deputy Cooter went back in service.
[End of Narrative]
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