TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee man has been arrested after a rape kit collected from a 13-year-old victim five years ago tested positive for his DNA.
Sherman Brooks, 44, was arrested Sunday for lewd or lascivious battery.
On March 2, 2013, the 13-year-old female victim had been taken to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital by a representative with the Florida Department of children and Families for an examination, according to a probable cause document.
Documents say the victim was a runaway from Capital City Youth Services and had been "drinking and was picked up by two men and did not remember anything."
After returning to CCYS, the victim was vomiting due to alcohol consumption and complained about pain in her genital area. She said she had been picked up by two males in a pick-up truck after running away and said they had given her alcoholic beverages until she "blacked out."
During an interview, investigators learned it was likely only one man who picked her up and dropped her off following the assault.
A sexual assault evidence kit was collected at the time, but court documents say the results weren't reviewed and shipped to DNA Labs International until January 2016. Documents note the kit was reviewed as part of a grant program focused on eliminating rape kit backlogs (DANY).
DNA Labs International was unable to find any matches or similarities in the DNA, but confirmed that there was foreign DNA present that likely came from a man.
Those results were then sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in September 2016 who were able to match the foreign DNA to Sherman Brooks.
Based on the evidence, probable cause was developed to charge Brooks with lewd or lascivious battery on a child under 16.
A warrant was issued for his arrest in October 2017. He was taken into custody on Sunday. As of Monday, Sherman remains in the Leon County Detention Center on a $20,000 bond.
