Be Sure To Wear Your Wetsuit, Blindfold, Pepper Spray Necklace To Florida's Water Parks
Various water parks in Florida have taken on a weird Westworld vibe this summer, only instead of robots gone mad it's fellow parkgoers, and instead of trying to kill you they're trying get at your genitals. And by "you" we mean teenaged girls and boys.
Here's what's happened in the past month or so:
- July 16, Typhoon Lagoon: 29-year-old David Thomas arrested, accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy and as many as five other boys in the park.
- July 11, Typhoon Lagoon: 51-year-old Bradford Pellet Biggers arrested for exposing himself to a 14-year-old girl. He says it was an accident due to his "European-style" bathing suit. Park officials responded that "guests are expected to wear appropriate swimsuits at Typhoon Lagoon."
- July 3, Typhoon Lagoon: 52-year-old Robert Double Jr. arrested after a 15-year-old accuses him of pulling off her bikini and groping her in the wave pool. Security says they have footage of him repeatedly positioning himself in front of young girls so that he can crash into them.
- June 27, Aquatica: 23-year-old Joshua Fuentes arrested, accused of molesting three girls ages 12 through 14.
- June 21, Wet 'n Wild: a 14-year-old girl claims to have been sexually assaulted by "a man with long, dark hair" during a midnight celebration. Police haven't located a suspect yet.
According to police quoted in a story by Nick VinZant for Central Florida News 13, this sort of stuff isn't really that uncommon—it's just frequently underreported.
"All too often and often enough, these things occur and we don't get notified," said Jim Solomons from the Orange County Sheriff's Office. "The parents hear about these kinds of things, and by that time the bad guy is off in a crowd."
"Man Arrested After Touching Boys At Disney Water Park" [WFTV.com]
"Man accused of exposing himself at Typhoon Lagoon is free on bail" [Orlando Sentinel]
"WNY man arrested at Typhoon Lagoon" [WIVB.com]
"Man arrested after 3 girls say he molested them at Aquatica water park" [Orlando Sentinel]
"Girl, 14, Claims Sexual Battery At Wet 'N Wild" [Central Florida News 13]
"Lewd Behavior At Water Parks Doesn't Surprise Police" [Central Florida News 13]
(Photo: shareski)
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Comments:
That's sad that kids and teens can't go to a water park without having to worry about some pervert trying to molest them. I feel terrible for those girls, especially because so many people will say they deserved it for one reason or another.
@Adrienne Willis: to add to that...which is why I go to Rockaway and swim in the ocean (but far away from everyone else).
What is the significance of the tear tattoo? I seem to recall it was related to something criminal but can't remember what exactly.
@Trulymadlyme: I just thought it meant they were very sad. Actually, it can mean several things, one of which is that the bearer murdered someone.
@AstroPig7: It just means they have lots of FEELINGS! They're so EMO! They listen to lots of Dashboard Confessional! How can you be so insensitive????
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!):
I've met the internet... just hoping my fellow commenters are somewhat civilized.
We'll see...
@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): But! But! They were wearing bikinis! And they were all wet! And tempting!
/sarcasm
Rock-rock-rock, Rockaway Beach...the Irish Riviera. Spent a lot of time surfing down at Beach 90th. My uncle lived down in the Beach 130s (near where the plane crashed) and I would go over to his house to sleep after 6 AM riding.
@Gramin: Au contrair. Have you seen the way girls dress these days? They are asking for it, the whole lot of them.
They're a bunch of hussies and I blame their hussy parents for teaching them hussy values and buying them hussy clothes from Limited Too.
This is heavy sarcasm, to be honest this makes me rather disapointed. When my daughter is old enough to be doing these sorts of things, I'd like to say that I would be right there to make sure it doesn't happen, but I'm sure she'll be at the age where she won't tolerate that. So I'll just have to keep a close eye on her, ready to beat some ass.
@Trulymadlyme: Well from what I've learned on the "streets," the tear tattoo used to signify they've murdered someone (specifically in prison??). Now, it just means you are creating the illusion of being BA because you don't fill the criteria to be "deep."
What on earth is a "European-style bathing suit"?! Aa a European myself, I am somewhat mystified by this bizarre excuse.
@ekthesy: Wow, you're pretty brave mentioning sleeping at your uncle's on a thread about child molestation.
Yes it's Sad...
Yes it's serious...
Yes this is not uncommon...
BUT isn't this a consumer website? How does this help consumers? I do not understand how this event remotely effects a consumer... If it's a slow news day at least find something consumer related...
An whats with the blink fold... Wet suit makes it hard to be touched, pepper spray helps you defend yourself but a BLINDFOLD?? Kinky a mix of defensive items and a kinky item.
Yea, this is something that might happen often, but it is good to get the news out there to parents who may not know about it.
That way hopefully if their children are younger, they can keep a better watch out for them.
If their children are in the park without parents close by, at least the parents should educate them about possible dangers and what to do if something similar happens to them...
I'm with you wigly. Whether or not our society is moving towards a more sexually open culture is irrelevant. Your daughter or my sisters wearing a bikini to the beach or pool is not an open invitation for any person to make a sexual advance. We can only hope that these perverts' actions are limited to what has happened at the pool. The worst case scenario is that these sick individuals are stalking young girls and boys in areas more secluded and absent of adults.
Someone with a name like Bradford Pellet Biggers is bound to become a perv.
@Adrienne Willis: So that makes it okay? With that logic, you shouldn't be allowed to voice that ridiculous opinion, since a "typical" women in the Middle East can't speak in public.
Something being the norm in New York City is plenty reason enough for me to want to remove it from society.
@sharkzfanz: Aside from the guys hopping the fence, most people pay to go to water parks.
Paying for fun in the sun and water + uninvited molestation = Consumerist story
What's so hard to understand?
LOL! Right on! Nothing to do with consumers. Obviously there is some consumption here, however, not the type that consumerist should be focused on. If they want to be a news site, fine. However, that's not what they are. First, it was their obsession with Apple. Now, it's irrelevant news stories.
@coan_net:
Parents who are oblivious to these types of actions are ignorant... and don't own a computer or TV or read the paper. Legislators and States Attorney have made prosecuting sex offenders a top priority.
Our local newspaper has a policy that it does not publish the names of people accused of sexually-related crimes unless a conviction has been made.
It would be nice of this site followed that same level of professionalism.
And oh, how is this consumer related again?
Why do people feel it necessary to question an articles presence?
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@Adrienne Willis: It's not not uncommon in the ocean either. In college, my girlfriend was molested at Virginia Beach. We were just chillin by ourselves, and this guy just floated up the beach groped her as a breaker hit, and floated on, blending into people further up. Here and gone in 30 seconds. Completely shocking
Fortunately, that guy was caught shortly afterwards, but not before molesting at least 4 more women. Who knows how many didn't say anything.
The police officers we talked to said it happens "a couple times a summer" there.
@Gramin: you pay for you and kids to get to a water park where supposedly you are safer, than, I don't know, the middle of a dar alley with no one around. Then, your kid gets molested and police says, it happens. What if this happens in Walmart? everyone would be up in arms. I don't get you people
@Morte42:
His point is that this isn't a big news story. It occurs frequently all across the United States. Florida isn't the only place this happens and we're confused why consumerist decided to feature this story.
Of course we don't want this behavior to happen.
@Gramin: When it comes to child molestation, you can never have too many warnings. Some parents may feel these environments are safer due to the high volume of people/witnesses. This serves as a helpful reminder that people will molest others just about anywhere.
@kduhtoe: According to all the newspapers when it happens to a boy it's called an affair. Or maybe that's just when teachers do it.
Besides all the obvious disturbing points in this story, there's another one I find very disturbing, and that's actually swimming in a public pool. Not a chance I will ever be swimming around in other people's filth. Private pool or none at all for me.
@Gramin: assesinations happen often, rapings too and child molestation. Does that mean those shouldn't be covered either?
Besides, there is the matter of "timing", as in summer is starting so this is a concern. Gosh!
@kduhtoe:
Consumerist focuses more on companies screwing consumers. This isn't such a case. Should they post the story about the chicago boy who was shot the other day? He lives in an apartment rented by his parents.
Paying for apartment + gunshot = consuemerist story...
By your logic, nearly every story should be placed on consumerist.
@Morte42: So you respond to a harmless joke with a lecture and a backhanded insult at NYC. You stay classy, Morte42.
@Morte42: what are you talking about? I never said it was ok, I am just stating that it is nothing new, there has been in fact worse that has happened in NYC pools with young guys circling teenage girls in the pool and attacking them.
I would like to know your suggestions on removing it from society? My solution is I dont go to public pools.
@ekthesy: If I didnt destroy my knee last year I would have been surfing at Rockaway this summer. I love to hang out on the jetty and watch the surfers :-)
I chill further down, past Jacob Riis park, walking almost to that private resort on the beach. It is quiet, you can swim (although there are no life guards), the beach is clean and most importantly not crowded.
@Gramin: Are you simple?
If several people were shot while renting from the same apartment building, it should be placed on the Consumerist. Consumer awareness means fewer people get screwed in the first place (no pun intended with the whole molestation theme).
The police are taking it seriously. However, they're not taking the approach suggested by consumerist and a news station: that this is an epidemic in Florida.
We live in a capitalistic society... EVERYTHING costs money. Therefore, every story is worthy of consumerist, right?
@kduhtoe:
But they don't place it on consumerist. There's no logic why they chose this story. Give me an hour and I can give you 10 stories from Chicago that would be worth of consumerist based on this logic.
This site represents itself as one that helps consumers find deals and not get screwed by the big corporations.
I don't see how this is related to that.
@Gramin: Well I have no water parks around where we live, but we do occasionally go on vacation at these types of places, so no - this is actually the first time that I've heard that this is a common thing. (Yes, sex offenders are eveywhere - and stuff like this can happen anywhere, but no - was unaware that it was common.)
Of course my child is still at the age that he does everything while with us, so he is never out of our sites - but in a few more years, I can see a time that comes where we will take his friends & he & his friends will be out around the water park by themselves, so yes - hearing it is a common thing at these places is something that I need to know about so I when that time comes, I can give some extra warnings & advice on how to avoid being in those situations.
@robdew2:
Agree on the consumer related issue.
However, I wouldn't blame consumerist for publishing the names. All major news organizations have similar policies... however, if the names are reported by another new agency, CNN/NYT/Tribune will also publish their names with a quick note that it was first published by someone else and, therefore, already public.
But I do agree... shouldn't publish unless there's a conviction... but, then there's that damn First Amendment.
ok, ok, molestation is no laughing matter. But...no one pointed out that one of these guy's names is Bradford Pellet Biggers?
Come on, Consumerist Readers, I know there are some good jokes in there, but I haven't made it through a cup of coffee yet...
Hey, instead of having expensive, teacher-types teaching kids about Sex Ed, let the private market can provide a solution! Why the Haterade against the Free Market, pinkos?
Um, this is a typical summer in the NYC pools.