Florida: Safety Harbor man, Paul Morgan, arrested for molesting 9-year-old girl
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Safety Harbor man, Paul Gary Morgan, 63, for kidnapping and molesting a 9-year-old girl.
According to police, Morgan approached three children (ages 9, 6 and 4) on Saturday playing in a neighbor’s front yard and asked the 9 year old to see her panties. When the girl refused, the man grabbed the victim and dragged her to the backyard of the residence.
Image/PCSO
The victim’s friends followed and tried confronting the man.
While in the backyard of the residence, the man lifted up the victim’s skirt and tried pulling down her underwear before touching the victim’s vagina on the outside of her underwear.
Deputies say the man also grabbed the 4-year-old girl by the shoulder and pushed her while she was yelling at him to stop.
During the struggle, the 9-year-old victim was able to break free and run away. Deputies say the victim’s mother called 911 after she tried confronting the man and he fled the scene on foot.
Deputies responding to the scene located Morgan walking in the area. Deputies say Morgan matched the physical description provided by witnesses.
Witnesses positively identified Morgan as the suspect.
When deputies interviewed Morgan, he admitted to speaking with the victim.
Witnesses told deputies that Morgan frequents their neighborhood but he was not known to them.
Deputies say Morgan suffers from an intellectual disability and he is a resident at the Harbor Point Assisted Living Facility in Safety Harbor.
Deputies arrested Morgan and transported him to the Pinellas County Jail.
Morgan was charged with one count of Kidnapping one count of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation and one count of Child Abuse.
