Child protective employee charged with assaulting teen

Author: Associated Press
Published:
Department of Children and Families administrative assistant Sarah Adams 34, and Thomas Adams, 33, are charged with sexual battery on a child and other crimes. (CREDIT: Pasco County Sheriff’s Office)

An employee of Florida’s child protection agency and her husband have been arrested on charges they sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl.

Department of Children and Families administrative assistant Sarah Adams 34, and Thomas Adams, 33, are charged with sexual battery on a child and other crimes, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Sarah Adams is also charged with failing to report the abuse of a child, something she would be required to do as an agency employee.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Thomas Adams began showing the girl pornography in February 2019 and forced her to perform sexual acts on him over her objections. “To show appreciation,” he would give the girl a marijuana vape pen to smoke.

Investigators say Sarah Adams knew about the assaults and in November 2019 began participating in them.

Reports do not indicate when the assaults were reported, but investigators arranged for the girl to talk to Thomas Adams in a recorded phone call where they say he admitted to the assaults and apologized. The couple was arrested Tuesday.

DCF has not issued a statement about Sarah Adams or her employment status.

She was being held Saturday on $370,000 bail, her husband on $200,000. Jail records do not show if either has an attorney.

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