Former Anderson University basketball player Grant Brown has been arrested by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department in Indiana, where he faces multiple counts of felony child molestation and child exploitation. He is also charged with eight counts of possession of child pornography.
“The investigation started in July 2022, when Indiana State Police Detective Dave Preston was requested by the Summitville Police Department to take over a case involving an allegation of child molestation,” according to a state police press release.
“During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that additional criminal actions had occurred with multiple juvenile females.”
If convicted, Brown can face between three and 16 years in prison on just one of his child molestation charges.
The Horrors Of Child Abuse
Studies by David Finkelhor, Director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center, show that: 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse. During a one-year period in the U.S., 16% of youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized and over the course of their lifetime, 28% of U.S. youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized.
A Bureau of Justice Statistics Report shows 1.6 % (sixteen out of one thousand) of children between the ages of 12-17 were victims of rape/sexual assault.
Rape or sexual assault were not charges mentioned in Brown’s arrest. But given that the alleged victims were “juvenile females” and that he was charged with child pornography, it’s likely there were sexual motivations if the allegations prove true.
This is a serious situation for the alleged victims as the alleged traumas can have long lasting impact into adulthood.
According to Victimsofcrimes.org studies have shown that children who had an experience of rape or attempted rape in their adolescent years were 13.7 times more likely to experience rape or attempted rape in their first year of college.
A child who is the victim of prolonged sexual abuse usually develops low self-esteem, a feeling of worthlessness and an abnormal or distorted view of sex. The child may become withdrawn and mistrustful of adults, and can become suicidal.
Grant Brown A ‘Follower Of Christ’
Brown’s Twitter bio reads:
“6’2 Combo Guard. #3. Madison-Grant High-School 2021. Follower of Christ. R.I.P Coach G. VU MBB”
He has retweeted the account Daily Bible Verses and often “gives glory to God” in his tweets noting accomplishments.
It is interesting that someone so public about their faith is caught up in a situation like this. Sadly, he’s not the first and won’t be the last.
Brown has been charged and at this point the legal process hasn’t concluded.
However, if he is found guilty a judge will decide whatever punishment deemed appropriate.
More important, if he’s found guilty, hopefully the victims of his crimes will be given every opportunity to get the help they need to begin and continue healing from this ordeal.
So often the focus are people who perpetrate crimes and of their punishments fit. Whether they do or not, it’s the victims who are left not whole.