Buford couple convicted for sexual abuse of 7-year-old girl
Javen Tyree Richardson and Akilah Amin (Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office)
BUFORD, Ga. - A Gwinnett County man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of multiple counts of molesting a 7-year-old girl.
The victim's mother has also been sentenced to 7 years in prison for trying to make the girl lie about the crime, officials say.
What we know:
Authorities say Javen Tyree Richardson sexually abused the victim several times inside a Buford apartment before she disclosed the abuse at school.
In court, prosecutors said 30-year-old Akilah Amin tried to coach the girl to change her story in an attempt to get Richardson released.
The girl told her story from the witness stand before a jury convicted Richardson of four counts of aggravated child molestation. Amin was found guilty of one count of influencing a witness and one count of second-degree cruelty to children.
What they're saying:
"Justice for this young victim begins with the outcome of this trial," Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. "Her family and her loved ones must continue to help her recover and heal."
What's next:
After the jury's verdict, a judge sentenced Richardson to two consecutive life sentences with the first 80 years to serve in prison. Amin was sentenced to 20 years, with the first 7 years in prison.
Both dependents will also be required to register as sex offenders and to have no contact with the victim or her siblings.
The Source: Information for this story came from a release by the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office.