Darren Lawrence, 62, of Wilmington, DE, was convicted in Sept. 2021 of 19 counts of abuse, including rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, and related offenses, Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said.
An investigation into Lawrence began in Feb. 2020 when the victim, who is now over 21 years old, told Chester County detectives that she was sexually abused by him when she was between the ages of nine and 12, the DA said.
The sexual abuse happened at least once a month when the victim was in Lawrence's care from 2006 to 2009 at different locations in Chester County, including at his home in Kennett Township, prosecutors said.
“The sexual abuse and suffering this young woman endured when she was a child at the hands of Darren Lawrence is incomprehensible," DA Ryan said.
"I commend her bravery and resilience in coming forward after so many years to get justice for herself. She is a role model for others and she demonstrates that it is never too late to speak the truth. Now that the defendant is going to prison for a very long time, hopefully, she will find peace to move forward with her life.”
Call Childline at 1-800-932-0313 if you suspect child abuse.
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