Plea Deal in Alleged Rabbi Molestation Case

FLORIDA
NBC 6

[with video]

By Claudia DoCampo

Rabbi Steve Karro was arrested nine months ago and accused of one count of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under 12. On Thursday, he walked away from that felony charge.

“Hopefully it will never happen again. God forbid that it happen again to another child. I did my best,” the victim’s mother said.

The child told her mother the rabbi had been alone with her in his art gallery. She said the rabbi touched her buttocks, stroked her hair and kissed her neck, saying he was doing a cleansing.

“Who does this to children without their parents’ knowledge and consent?” said the victim’s mother.

But prosecutors said they didn’t have any substantial evidence to prove that Rabbi Karro molested the 11-year old girl. The plea deal was partly based on two polygraph tests, exclusively obtained by NBC 6, saying “there was no deception” by the rabbi; it was basically her word against his.

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