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Teen Accused Of Molesting 5-Year-Old At Church Day Care

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By RAY REYES and JENNIFER LEIGH

The Tampa Tribune and News Channel 8

Published: July 9, 2008

Wilson Jamal Lattimore

LAKELAND A teen has been accused by detectives of molesting a 5-year-old boy at a church's day care center, Lakeland police said.

Wilson Jamal Lattimore, 14, of Lakeland, was charged with two counts of felony sexual battery. He was arrested today and taken to a Polk County juvenile detention center, police said.

The victim's 8-year-old brother told police he walked into a downstairs room of New Birth Ministries Daycare on Monday afternoon and saw Lattimore and the boy engaged in a sexual act. Lattimore gave the 8-year-old $5 to keep quiet, according to an arrest report.

The children were attending a summer camp at the daycare center, Lakeland police Sgt. Gary Gross said. Detectives are still trying to find out how Lattimore and the boy were left alone in the room.

"It shouldn't have happened," Gross said.

Day care workers denied any knowledge of the incident, police said. Employees of the day care center at 412 N. Massachusetts Ave. declined to comment today.

The victim's mother learned about the incident after she picked up her three children from the day care center about 3 p.m. Monday. The victim's sister was ill and the family went to Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

While in the waiting room, the 8-year-old took out a $5 bill and asked his mother if he could get a snack, an arrest report said. The mother asked her son where he got the money and he told her that Lattimore gave it to him "if I didn't tell anyone what I saw," the report said.

The mother then asked hospital staff to check on the 5-year-old. A medical exam confirmed a sexual battery had occurred, Gross said.

The victim told his mother that Monday was the second time he was sexually battered and detectives are investigating when and where the first incident took place, Gross said.

Lattimore and family members could not be reached Wednesday. A neighbor, however, described the teen as quiet and that he usually keeps to himself.

"He's a nice young kid," Shelton Dennis said. "He liked to ride the bike up and down the street. He never really bothered anybody."

The Department of Children and Families in Polk County has turned over the investigation to police because it did not license New Birth Ministries and the day care filed for a religious exemption, Gross said.

According to the state statute, a day care can seek a license from another accrediting agency if it is "an integral part of a church or parochial schools conducting regularly scheduled classes, courses of study or educational programs."

DCF lists 24 accrediting agencies for child care centers seeking religions exemption.

The agency that oversees New Birth Ministries is Narrow Door Pentecostal Council of God M.I. Inc., in Haines City, state records show. Officials with Narrow Door could not be reached Wednesday.

The case has been submitted to the Polk County State Attorney's Office, and prosecutors will determine whether Lattimore will be charged as an adult, Lakeland police spokesman Jack Gillen said.

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or rreyes@tampatrib.com. News Channel 8 reporter Jennifer Leigh can be reached at (863) 284-1418 or jleigh@wfla.com.

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