GREEN BAY (NBC26) — The parents of one of Mauricio Powless’ alleged victims are sharing their story. The events that left their 13-year-old daughter feeling broken, and how the family is working to recover emotionally.
- Mauricio Powless, 18, is accused of sexually assaulting three young girls between the ages of 10 and 13.
- The parents of one of the victims exclusively shared their story.
- The parents are still grappling with how to deal with what they call “the unthinkable” happening to their daughter.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
I’m Olivia Acree reporting in Green Bay. 18-year-old Mauricio Powless, who’s accused of sexually assaulting multiple young girls, appeared back in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing, which the defense waived. Also in the courtroom were parents of one of the victims. They spoke to me exclusively about the emotional rollercoaster it's all been.
“Just something that we never thought would happen,” said the parents.
The unthinkable. That's what the mom of one of the victims called what Powless allegedly did to her daughter. The family was on vacation at the Tundra Lodge.
“Night one I'd left the elevator, dad was shortly behind her, she went up thinking she could catch me, and was sexually assaulted,” said the parents.
Their daughter is 13. It's been a few weeks since it happened, but figuring out what to do next has been a long and difficult process.
“You know I have PTSD like I couldn't protect her,” said the parents. “The more I see her struggle you know I get more angry.”
The parents say Powless took their daughter's innocence.
“If a guy walks past her, she’s looking over her shoulder and panicking and no little girl should have to do that, nobody should have to do that, adult, little girl it doesn’t matter,” said the parents.
The criminal complaint says Powless admitted to assaulting multiple girls over two separate dates. The girls are between the ages of 10 and 13. It says, “...he’s not sure why he did what he did...”
An unsatisfactory answer to these parents.
“He came in not even a guest. That was his sole purpose,” said the parents.
The family has started counseling.
“At 13 how do you process that,” said the parents.
And are taking things day by day to heal as a family.
I visited tundra lodge for comment but no one was available.
Powless is now bound for trial. We’ll update you when we find out when a trial will take place.
