Chester County Man Claude Edwards Charged With Sexually Assaulting Two Girls Under Age 13
CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- A Chester County man has been charged with sexually assaulting two girls under the age of 13. Prosecutors say 64-year-old Claude Edwards, of Parkesburg, began abusing the first girl in 2002 and the second girl in 2009.
"The defendant robbed two innocent girls of their childhoods by repeatedly violating them, sometimes every day," Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said. "He engaged in unimaginable cruelty and depravity to satisfy his deviant behavior. My office will keep children safe from these horrific types of predators by holding them accountable for all of their life-altering criminality."
Victim No.1 reportedly told prosecutors that the abuse happened at night while she would stay with her grandmother while her mom was at work. She says it happened "almost everyday" and "that she was frightened and would cry during the assaults."
Prosecutors say the abuse of Victim No. 1 included locking her in the bathroom or bedroom and forcing her to touch his genitals. When she resisted, the defendant assaulted her by touching her vagina, breast and buttocks, forcing her to watch pornographic videos while the defendant described how he wanted to engage in similar activities with her. Edwards also told her she would get in trouble if she told anyone.
The sexual abuse allegedly ended in 2011 after her grandmother died when she was between the ages of 11 and 12.
On June 25, 2020, Victim No. 2 reported to Caln Township Police that the sexual abuse began in 2002 when she was 8-years-old.
Victim No. 2's abuse also began while she lived at her grandmother's house in Coatesville with Edwards.
Prosecutors say Victim No. 2's abuse included raping her when she was 8, and she bit the defendant's hand when he used it to muffle her screams, he instructed her to say she had a bicycle accident after she bled because he told her, "They're gonna send me away, and nobody's gonna love you."
While feeding her hamster, the defendant forced her to sit on his lap while he was erect and also watch pornographic videos.
He also allegedly digitally penetrated the victim's vagina, performed oral sex on her, and exposing himself to her, forcing her to touch his genitals, sexually assaulting Victim No. 2 at his place of employment and a mobile home nearby.
The sexual abuse allegedly ended in 2007 when the victim was 13 years old and moved out of her grandmother's home.
Edwards is being held on $1 million bail.
