A Louisiana man has been convicted of repeatedly inappropriately touching his girlfriend’s 8-year-old daughter.
A press release from J. Collin Sims, the 22nd Judicial District Attorney, announced that Lawrence Burt, a 48-year-old resident of Pearl River, was convicted of indecent behavior with a child under the age of 13 on Friday.
In response to a report from the girl’s mother in March 2022, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office visited a residence where the mother alleged that her boyfriend had been engaging in inappropriate behavior with her daughter. Following the report, law enforcement authorities escorted the child to the Hope House at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Covington for assessment and an interview.
During an interview led by Cally Huggins, the child disclosed that Burt had been entering her room surreptitiously and touching her inappropriately. The child recounted her attempts to prevent Burt’s unwanted advances by locking her door, only to face reprimands from him when she did so. Feeling intimidated, the child refrained from confiding in her mother, out of fear that Burt would retaliate against her family if she spoke up.
The child’s mother informed investigators that Burt often stayed up late watching pornography and playing video games. She also noticed that it appeared Burt had tampered with the lock on her daughter’s bedroom door.
Initially, law enforcement struggled to arrest Burt, as he had quit his job and left his residence. However, they later found him in an apartment complex in Slidell.
Despite Burt’s claims that the victim was lying, the jury found him guilty. He faces a potential sentence of two to twenty-five years in prison.
Burt has a history of sexual offenses, including previous convictions for abusing a 13-year-old girl, theft, and two counts of failing to register as a convicted sex offender, according to the DA’s release. He is scheduled to be sentenced in May.
[Feature Photo: DA Handout]
