A Dallas man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after sexually abusing a child, attributing his actions to a ‘divine command.’
Christopher Lee Caudill, 46, was arrested on Thursday and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, according to Collin County records. Caudill defended himself, claiming God told him to do it.
The victim said that Caudill regularly abused her between the ages of 11 to 17. At 18, she reached out to a family friend about the abuse. The victim’s friend contacted law enforcement to report the abuse.
Carrollton Police Department Detective Erika Honeycutt noted that Caudill admitted to sexually assaulting the victim over a number of years, reported District Attorney Greg Willis’ news release.
Caudill confessed that he abused the victim because they had a relationship that was “a love like they had in the Bible,” echoing the victim’s claim that Caudill would justify his actions during the abuse because “God told him to do it” and “that’s what they did in the Bible.”
The jury found Caudill guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony resulting in a punishment of 25 years to life in prison. The jury assessed Caudill’s punishment at life in prison, a sentence not eligible for parole.
“It’s revolting that this horribly evil person not only inflicted such prolonged pain and evil on a child, but also had the twisted nerve to use God and the Bible to justify it,” said Collin Country District Attorney Greg Willis after sentencing. “We are thankful the jury saw through his deceit and delivered justice.”
As of March 25, Dallas has reported 116 sex offenses this year, according to the Dallas Police Department’s crime analytics dashboard.
Dallas police have rolled out a new sexual assault reporting protocol, as previously covered by The Dallas Express. While officers usually show up in person to take statements from hospitalized victims before forensic examination, a new alternative will allow victims to speak to police by phone. The new option was enacted to ensure survivors receive care as soon as possible.
DPD continues to struggle with timely responses, partly due to the shortage of officers. The City currently staffs around 3,000 officers, while a City report suggests closer to 4,000 officers are needed to maintain public safety effectively.
