The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor has charged a church deacon with sexual assault and kidnapping, after prosecutors said he allegedly inappropriately touched a 9-year church parishioner.
Willie Warren Junior, 65, is facing three felony counts, after prosecutors said he allegedly attacked a nine-year-old girl on the second floor of The Church of the Living God on Buckeye Road in Cleveland.
Court records indicated charges were filed against Warren in Sept. 2015.
The victim’s mother, who didn't want to be identified, told news5.com the case has been extremely difficult on her daughter and her family.
She explained her daughter has tried to take her own life multiple times, and said it has been difficult to start the healing process as the case is now heading into its 15th month.
"She was lured upstairs, and he touched both her top and bottom area, and told her that he did not get a chance to complete it," said the mother.
"To have someone that utilized their title to build a trust and then to hurt someone. We we're not only close in church, we were close literally outside of church as well."
News5.com went to the home of Willie Warren Junior to get his side of the story, but we were turned away.
Warren is set for a pre-trial in Cuyahoga County Court on Dec. 7.
