Prosecutors said that the then-26-year-old dad, Henry, was taken into custody after his 3-year-old daughter shared stunning details about her se-ual abuse. According to the court documents, instead of confessing to his crimes, the dad went before Circuit Court Judge Swope and tried to justify his actions, placing the full blame on his own child all because of what she allegedly did. The girl’s mom was also charged as an accessory to her husband’s sick abuse. However, she eventually took a plea deal, allowing her to plead guilty to a lesser charge of child neglect creating a risk of serious bodily harm or death.
While speaking with child advocate Cindy, the child reportedly formed Play-Doh into the shape of male geni-alia, telling the caseworker that her daddy had put his ‘part’ on her bu-t. Immediately, police arrested the father for se-ually abusing his daughter on at least two separate occasions. The father claims that the two se-ual encounters with his 3-year-old, one involving a se* toy and another involving oral se*, happened accidentally, adding that ‘it was the child’s fault because she had begun performing oral se* on him without his knowledge’. He alleged that he mistook the 30-pound girl for his nearly 200-pound wife both times.
“I was laying on my back,” Bennett said. “I thought it was April, and when I rolled over child yelled.” The father accused the toddler of sneaking into his bedroom and initiating oral se* on him, causing him to believe that his wife April was performing the se* act. He further expounded the incident, alleging that his wife had been performing or-l se* on him before going to the bathroom. He claimed that the child then slipped into the bed and started engaging in or-l se* until he realized that she was not his wife. However, this was only the second time he se-ually abused his daughter.
Henry also claimed that the first time he se-ually abused his daughter was also an accident. Bizarrely, he told investigators that he had mistakenly penetrated the child with a se- toy in her an-s, though this was not further explained. Fortunately, the court wasn’t buying Henry’s disturbing excuses. After the closing arguments, the jurors deliberated for less than half an hour before announcing that they had reached a verdict. Bennett was found guilty on 2 charges of first-degree se-ual assault, 2 charges of se-ual abuse by a parent, and 2 charges of inc-st. Initially, April was charged as an accessory to her husband’s sick abuse. However, she eventually took a plea deal, allowing her to plead guilty to a lesser charge of child neglect creating a risk of serious bodily harm or death. Court Judge Swope noted problems the child could suffer later in life before sentencing the father to 25 to 100 years for each of two first-degree se-ual assault charges. He must serve at least 50 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.
