Mary Margaret Olohan on March 28, 2019
An Ohio man who beat up a teenager he found molesting a 5 year-old-child now faces prison time as strangers raise $30,000 to support him.
When 20-year-old Richard Adams discovered a teenager molesting a 5 -year-old boy, he proceeded to beat the molester and post a video of the bloody teen online. Adams now faces a felony assault and is out on bond while the 17-year-old child molester, who has not been named, has been charged on suspicion of rape.
“I was doing laundry and I walked out and there was the 17-year-old,” said Adams, according to Newsweek. “He said that the 17-year-old had touched him right there and that he had previously touched him the night before. I kind of just snapped, I didn’t know what to think.”
Adams expressed regret that he posted the video online. “I should not have posted that and I do feel remorseful for the video situation,” he said. “I want everyone to stop all the child offenders and predators that are out there. I don’t want no child to have to go through that.”
As a father to be, Adams worries about facing time in prison. “I am scared. I have a kid on the way and I do want to be there for my child’s birth and that’s the only thing that’s worrying me right now. I almost want to cry saying it.”
However, Adams’ uncle has started a GoFundMe page to help his nephew – and it has already made over $30,000.
“He needs lake [county’s] best to defend him,” the uncle, Jeff Cook, wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Unfortunately his job is seasonal and hasn’t returned back to work yet. Only gets enough while laid off to pay needed bills. Anything will help him.”
The Eastlake Police Department has been widely criticized for Adams’ arrest, and the department defended their actions in a Facebook post. “We truly understand the interest, passion and concerns with this type of case. It has been processed by the court and will continue to go through the system,”the post reads.
“Most of the people within our police departments, courts and the entire justice system have families of their own and the men and women are diligently working to ensure that everything is done correctly so that justice is served.”
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