An Illinois teenager was incarcerated after allegedly sexually abusing a 7-year-old in the view of a first-grade online class and their instructor.
18-year-old Catrell Walls is a senior in high school who resides in Chicago. He reportedly works full-time in the field of construction and has been diagnosed with ADHD.
In the afternoon on October 15, a 7-year-old girl was visiting a relative in the same home with Walls.
The first-grader was participating in an online class via Google Meet while she was at the home, and she and her classmates were interacting with the teacher using sound and video.
Just after 1:00 pm, the youngster had turned off the sound but left the webcam streaming while she was away from the computer.
The girl’s classmates reportedly started chattering about what they saw on their screen.
When the teacher inspected her computer monitor, she allegedly noticed that the young girl was taking part in an oral sexual encounter with a man. The act was reportedly seen by the instructor and students, and the teacher told the children to end their sessions immediately.
After getting the alleged victim’s attention, the teacher asked her to turn off the webcam.
While the child was trying to comply with her teacher’s request, the alleged assailant was seen in the background.
School officials were notified, and they informed the girl’s family and the authorities about the alleged sexual assault. Child Protective Services was also told about the incident.
The child was accompanied by her parents when speaking about what had taken place, and she reportedly disclosed that the man, who is her cousin, had struck her but did not do anything sexual.
Her school principal talked with the child by herself while her parents waited in another room, and the girl allegedly said that she put her mouth on her cousin’s privates and it was “a secret.” She was additionally reported as showing fear that her dad would find out about the situation, which she said had taken place more than once.
The suspect was identified as Walls, and he allegedly expressed both regret and sorrow when reportedly telling the authorities that he had been sexual with the child since she was 6-years-old. He additionally was recorded as stating that he didn’t know why he performed the acts.
Walls was taken into custody, and he is being charged for predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under 13 years old.
He was out on bail for an unrelated matter regarding a gun crime, and after considering Walls’ new charges, the judge decided to deny bail and asserted, “this is not something that will just stop because I have ordered it to,” and, “he is a threat to an individual and the community as a whole.”
His legal representation has asked that his diagnoses of ADHD and the symptoms of the condition are taken into consideration.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a sexual offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.