TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee man has been arrested after being accused of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl multiple times over the last four years.
Correll Johnson, 55, was arrested by the Tallahassee Police Department on Friday.
On March 26, officers were called in reference to a sexual battery investigation. When officers arrived on scene, they made contact with the victim's mother.
While talking with officers, the victim's mother said on March 23, the victim was involved in an altercation with some students at school.
The victim's mother informed officers during the altercation, the victim reportedly threatened to kill herself.
When she tried to take the victim back to school, she was told the victim needed a mental health evaluation before being allowed back to attend school.
She said she then took the victim to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Behavioral Center for an evaluation.
According to the police report, the staff psychiatrist told the victim's mother that the victim said she had been victimized in an on-going sexual abuse by Johnson, a family friend.
The police report states the victim stated to the staff psychiatrist that Johnson threatened her with bodily harm if she told anyone, which made the victim afraid.
Staff at TMH Behavioral Center notified the Florida Department of Children and Families about the abuse allegations.
The victim's mother told officers that for several years she has lived with her children, including the victim, and extended family.
Over the last two years, a relative has been involved in a relationship with Johnson, but the mother says at this time the relative and Johnson are no longer in a relationship.
The victim's mother said Johnson was welcomed into the family homes and advised he was allowed to help as a caregiver for the children that lived in the home.
Johnson was given authority to pick the children up from their respective schools and drive them home, but he was not allowed to baby sit the children.
On April 2, the victim was taken to the Children's Home Society for a forensic interview.
During the interview, she said Johnson used to live with her, approximately three years ago.
The victim said she was "scared to tell" because he "threatened" her. She explained Johnson told her if she ever told anyone he would "get a knife and kill her," in which the victim replied, "I don't want to die."
The victim said it started when she was "5" and the first incident occurred at her mother's house.
She advised Johnson touched her with his hand on the "inside" of her "private." She said she was going to tell her mother, but Johnson "grabbed her arm" and threatened to kill her.
The victim disclosed another incident when she was 7 years old. She stated she went into the bathroom and locked the door, but somehow Johnson came into the bathroom with her.
She said she believes Johnson heard someone come in the house because he then "ran" out the back door. She told Johnson "when I get old I'm gonna tell everybody what you did to me," and he said, "you better not or I swear I'll kill you."
The victim gave an account of a third incident that happened in February when Johnson came up behind her to give her a hug and "touched" her backside on the outside of her clothing.
She disclosed a fourth incident that happened in 2016 where she was "in the car" and her clothes were off. The victim stated her cousin was also in the vehicle, but Johnson made him "turn around" so he was not looking at them.
She said Johnson "pulled over" and put his "private part" in her "private part."
The victim explained the last incident happened after Christmas of this year, but before the February incident.
She said that she saw Johnson "touch" other children/family members. The victim described an incident where Johnson called her and her cousins into a room to help "wash the dogs."
According to the victim, when the children came inside, Johnson locked the door and they could not get out. The victim stated they started "screaming," but no one could hear them.
She explained Johnson told them to "shut the f**** up," and made them get on the bed.
She states he started "putting his private part in my cousin," and he then let them out of the room.
The victim advised she told her brother and another relative over spring break of this year and said they "got mad she didn't tell them before."
An investigator with the Florida Department of Children and Families made contact with the other children mentioned by the victim, however, none of the children said they were the victim of sexual abuse or witnessed sexual abuse.
The investigator also made contact with Johnson and he denied the allegations, but admitted to driving some of the children to and from school.
Based on the evidence, Johnson is being charged with sexual battery on a victim under 12 and three counts of lewd/lascivious molestation.
Officers also learned during the investigation that Johnson is a high risk sexual offender and is currently on probation.
He was transported to the Leon County Detention Center and was given no bond.
