Father Of Girl After Accused Rapist Arrested: 'That's A Criminal Mind'
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- A North Miami man has been jailed after being accused of sexually battering an underage girl.
Roderick Vernet, 20, is accused of raping a 10-year-old girl who was staying at his home while her mother was away.
Police say it happened in 2015. The girl's mother was away and her daughter and son were both staying at Vernet's home in North Miami. According to the arrest report, one night, Vernet entered the living room where both kids were sleeping, placed a pillow over the face of the young girl and raped her.
Investigators say the girl's brother saw and heard what happened. The child's father says Vernet needs to be punished.
"That's a criminal mind," he told CBS4's Carey Codd. "If someone else does that to his daughter, I would like to know how he would feel about it."
The victim's father also said his daughter told a counselor that she felt bad about what occurred.
"She told me she feel -- excuse my language – 'stupid doing something like that' and they explained to her that 'no, you didn't do it'," he said. "It wasn't your fault."
Roderick's sister, Clauronda Vernet, said the house was full of adults and children the night of the alleged crime and that no one -- other than the girl and her brother -- heard or saw anything. She believes the mother of the children was mad at her for criticizing the way she was raising her kids and carelessly leaving her children with other people to watch them
"I told her straight up, I don't like how you're doing this to my family," Clauronda said. The bottom line for Vernet's family is that he's a recent high school graduate with a job and a new baby and that he wouldn't hurt anyone.
"There's nothing to suspect my brother about," she said. "My brother wouldn't lay a hand on not even a fly."
Police told CBS4 News that after Vernet was arrested on Monday he spoke with detectives and admitted to the crime. Vernet's family said their home was never searched and there was no indication that a crime even occurred back in November 2015. A police spokesperson told CBS4 News that's because investigators just learned of the crime earlier this year. Roderick Vernet is being held in jail without bond.
Vernet's family said their home was never searched and there was no indication that a crime even occurred back in November 2015. A police spokesperson told CBS4 News that's because investigators just learned of the crime earlier this year. Roderick Vernet is being held in jail without bond.
A police spokesperson told CBS4 News that's because investigators just learned of the crime earlier this year. Roderick Vernet is being held in jail without bond.
Roderick Vernet is being held in jail without bond.