People v. Rickard CA4/3

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Taylor C. was about eight years old when her parents divorced and her father moved in with Rickard, her grandmother’s boyfriend. Taylor and her two younger sisters would often visit Taylor’s father and stay over at Rickard’s house. Taylor called Rickard “grandpa.” Shortly after Taylor’s eighth birthday, she and one of her sisters were in Rickard’s bedroom late one evening watching cartoons. Taylor’s sister had fallen asleep. Rickard exposed his penis to Taylor, who was scared and hid under the covers.

2 Taylor did not tell anyone because Rickard “made me swear to secrecy.” On “countless” occasions thereafter, Rickard put his hands in Taylor’s underwear. Rickard would lick his fingers and then put them into her vagina. Rickard also touched Taylor’s breasts. Rickard once rubbed his penis on Taylor’s vagina and her bottom area, but Rickard did not penetrate her. On another occasion, as Rickard was touching Taylor, he showed her a video on his phone in which he was being orally copulated. Rickard encouraged Taylor to orally copulate him, but she refused. The last time Rickard tried to touch Taylor was when she was between seventh and eighth grade, but…