According to his victim, who had just turned 11 when the rapes started, Shaun Everette Whitt, now 32, of Palm Coast, would come into her bedroom and assault her when her mother was at work. Once he raped her when she was trying to watch a movie. Other times he raped her in the living room or in her mother’s bedroom. She tried at times to get away but he overpowered her.
In January 2012, the girl, more than two years after the rapes had started, the girl built up the courage to tell her teacher in a note what had been happening. She was taken to the Children’s Advocacy Center for an interview, where she described the assaults, and said the last one had taken place just two days prior.
Whitt, formerly of 19 Forrester Lane in Palm Coast, was booked at the Flagler County jail on March 1, 2013, where he was held on $750,000 bond. (In jail records, he’s listed as Shawn. In court records, as Shaun.)
On Wednesday, Whitt was convicted of sexual battery on a victim younger than 12, a first-degree capital felony, and guilty of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor, a first-degree felony. A jury rendered a verdict in less than an hour before Flagler County Circuit Judge J. David Walsh.
Walsh sentenced Whitt to life in prison on count one and to thirty years in prison on count two.
Whitt was represented by public defender Regina Nunnally.
On Tuesday, the victim, now 14, testified in court for two hours, describing “in vivid detail her allegations against Whitt,” the News-Journal’s Tony Holt reported, noting the victim cried throughout. “There was no one to scream for,” Holt quoted the girl as saying, “explaining why she remained silent.”
Assistant State Attorney Christina Opsahl prosecuted the case, outlining the frequent and repeated sexual abuse perpetrated against the 11-year-old Victim by Whitt. Physical evidence and a medical examination presented at trial corroborated the victim’s story that Whitt would routinely force himself on the victim.
Whitt denied the allegations throughout, saying he’d never touched the girl inappropriately. He consented to DNA searches. A sexual assault kit submitted for evidence was negative, though the investigation noted that the victim had been menstruating and that the last assault had taken place two days before.
“The only item collected that came back positive for semen was a sample of carpet collected from the victim’s room,” the arrest report states. “The sample of carpet was taken from an area in the victim’s bedroom that was previously described by the victim where the defendant ‘laid’ her down and raped her.” DNA extracted from the sample of carpet was compared to the DNA samples previously collected from the victim and [Whitt]. The DNA came back positively identified as [Whitt’s] and mixed with the victim’s DNA.”
“This is another example of the crucial work the Career Criminal Unit accomplishes making our communities better and safer,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said Wednesday after the sentence. “Our Career Criminal Unit charged, tried, and obtained a life sentence on an unrepentant sex offender. I am proud of Ms. Opsahl and her tenacity as a Career Criminal Prosecutor.”
Stephani Hernández says
That poor, brave girl. What an awful story.
Bubba says
Deadman walking. This creep won’t last a year in the state prison system. The inmates have a code about a child rapist.
Retired FF says
Thank God this pervert predator will never again be able to hurt a young child. He now will be someone’s B#@%h in jail.
Because I Can says
Finally, a judge who gives a just sentence and thank you to a good jury. General population at the prison will take care of this scum.
ryan says
Good. The system worked for a change and no one stuck up for him. That is one of the only things I have ever agreed with conservative lawmakers on. They are tougher on pedophiles. Instead of therapy and rehabilitation, which is BS when you can’t cure evil, they push to keep them in prison indefinitely. That’s how it should be.
I just hope he has to serve his sentence in general population.
Michael says
Hope she is able to fully recover, as for him he will get what he deserves, prison is a rough place for a child rapist
HorseWith Aname says
To all you folks who think he will get justice in prison, well thats typically not true. Most unfortunately these sexual predators are segregated from general population for that exact reason. However with all the corruption going on within the prison system, maybe one of these guards will throw him and solitary then off him. refer to https://flaglerlive.com/71307/latandra-ellington-lowell-prison/ On one hand its a bad thing but in this case of this guy it might be justified. Whats a matter this guy couldnt get laid on craigslist so he had to result to raping a child.
Ugh I think i am going to buy a sailboat and sail away from this mess raise my children on a island with no one around.
satrain18 says
This monster appeared on the Steve Wilkos Show befoerhand to take a polygraph test and failed miserably.
satrain18 says
P.S.
The episode is called “Did You Rape My Daughter?”
Anonymous says
satrain18 got it right, I saw that episode. Thank goodness the judge saw right through him and gave him the sentence he deserved!
Lila says
He never took the test. He refused so he was kicked off the show. Guilt showed all over him on the show. He deserver everything he will get. Monster!!
Cass says
Yes he was on the Steve show I just watched it again showed the up dates on him !! I hope he gets a dirty beating in jail , what he did to that poor baby girl he deserve a long painful beating , hope the girl and the mother are doing better , my heart goes out to the family , I couldn’t imagine if it was my baby’s
Serafina says
Lol i can’t believe this son of a birch did that to the girl .
I’m so glad she told someone about it now she never has to fear for her life . And I’m very proud of her mom .
For taking this story to the steve wilkos show.
Dj says
Unfortunately he isn’t getting beat in prison. He is at Avon park correctional he is telling everyone that he is in there for attempted murder. He is at a place they send some of the child sex crime inmates. I met him there and he gave me the lie he gave everyone. He seems to have no remorse for what he did. He got his case appealed right now so keep an eye out for him and his case
William says
Is their a reason the little girl did not say anything to her mom about this atrocity ?