BY DANA DiFILIPPO
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A Westwood man charged over the weekend with raping his girlfriend's 7-month-old infant was wanted on outstanding arrest warrants for joyriding and a probation violation when the alleged attack occurred, Cincinnati police said Sunday.
Shawn Levell Brumfield, 19, of the 3000 block of McHenry Avenue, was baby-sitting the boy Friday while the baby's mother was at work, said Sgt. Daniel Oliver of the Cincinnati Police Division's personal crimes unit.
Mr. Brumfield called his girlfriend at work after the alleged attack, telling her the infant was sick, Sgt. Oliver said.
The mother immediately went to her home in the West End and took the boy to Children's Hospital Medical Center. Doctors there discovered internal injuries consistent with rape, Sgt. Oliver said.
The baby remained in intensive care Sunday. Sgt. Oliver declined to describe details of the alleged attack, citing sensitivity concerns.
While the case involving a young child is horrifying, experts say such attacks are not rare.
ChildHelp USA, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based child-abuse crisis and referral hot line, estimates that 60 million Americans suffered childhood sexual abuse. One-fifth of all men, and 38 percent of women, were sexually molested by the end of adolescence, researchers say.
Nearly 75 percent of child molesters are under age 35 and know their victim at least casually, according to ChildHelp USA.
One third of child molesters in state prisons attacked their own children or stepchildren, most of whom were 12 or younger.
Several recent high-profile cases have highlighted that trend, including the June rape and murder of Mary Love, a 6-year-old Colerain Township girl. Also in June, a Chandler, Okla., man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually molesting his 4-month-old daughter.
Mr. Brumfield is being held without bond in the Hamilton County Justice Center on a charge of rape. He is expected to be arraigned this morning.The incident remains under investigation. Authorities say additional charges may follow.
Sgt. Oliver said the incident highlights the need for vigilance when parents choose baby-sitters.
The baby's mother had been dating Mr. Brumfield for about four months. He lived off and on with her in her home, Sgt. Oliver said. He was not the baby's father.
Mr. Brumfield had no prior sex-related convictions, Sgt. Oliver said.
