A 6-year-old girl used the “lion’s roar,” a technique taught by Scouting America, to scare off a convicted sex offender when she was confronted in a store bathroom, officials said.
Robert Deweese, 37, is charged with rape, gross sexual imposition, kidnapping and abduction following the February incident at a Warren County Five Below store.
The girl and her mother had established a special knock that Deweese overheard them talking about at the store, the girl’s family reported.
They said Deweese used the knock to get into the bathroom and touch the child, officials said.
“The child used a technique she learned through Scouts called the Lion’s Roar. She shouted “Stop!” as loud as she could, which startled the attacker and caused him to flee. Authorities later tracked him down and arrested him,” the Commissioners of Scouting America said in a Facebook post.
The family told The Enquirer that the 6-year-old had been attending Scouts for two years. At home, they have discussed safe and unsafe touching.
The girl’s mother said she grew up with a lot of friends who had unfortunate experiences, so she was determined to raise her daughter to feel empowered.
The Scout group the girl is involved with does lion’s roar training every year.
“Lion’s Roar is a required personal safety adventure for kindergarten-aged Cub Scouts in the Lion rank through Scouting America,” the commissioners posted. “It teaches children how to recognize unsafe situations and respond using the Protect Yourself Rules.”
They said the technique is easy to remember:
Deweese had a prior conviction for gross sexual imposition in Fairfield County, Ohio. Court documents state he touched an 11-year-old girl while waiting in line at a Lancaster Dollar Tree in 2021.
He was initially sentenced to five years probation and ordered to participate in treatment. Court documents state he repeatedly failed to complete the treatment and was sentenced to three years in prison. Based on his sentence, he was likely released in mid-2024.
Deweese also has convictions from 2019 in Licking County for public indecency and voyeurism.
He is currently being held on a $1 million bond at the Warren County jail as his case proceeds through court.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Girl used ‘lion’s roar’ tactic to fend off sex offender at store, Scouts say
Reporting by Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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