A man who broke into two Cobb County homes and molested a 12-year-old in the process was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday, officials said.
Malik Antonio Rollins, 29, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, two counts of child molestation and aggravated child molestation. A negotiated plea was accepted and Rollins was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by 20 years on probation. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
On Feb. 12, 2021, Cobb police officers were called to the Chroma Park apartments at about 2 a.m. regarding a burglary. The victim woke up to her bedroom door opening and screamed, scaring off the intruder. Rollins was still able to take two tablets with him before fleeing the apartment, district attorney’s office spokeswoman Kayla Willis said.
The victim had Ring cameras inside the home and was able to share footage with authorities, which provided a description of the burglar.
Two hours later, another burglary was reported at an apartment complex near the East-West Connector. A resident woke up around 4 a.m. and realized his son’s gaming console was missing and the patio door was open. He then noticed the light was on in his children’s bedroom and went to investigate.
In the bed was a partially clothed man sleeping next to his stepdaughter, Willis said.
“The 12-year-old mouthed ‘help me’ to her stepfather, who then ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife to remove the man from their home,” according to Willis.
The victim’s mother woke up during the commotion and called 911. The girl was taken to a hospital and disclosed that the intruder had sodomized and molested her, Willis confirmed.
That same day, Cobb police were able to track Rollins to an apartment at Chroma Park using the location function on one of the stolen tablets. Rollins’ mother answered the door and confirmed to police his identity as the burglar in the video footage, leading to his arrest.
Willis said a search of the home revealed the stolen items and the clothing he was wearing during the crimes.
In court, the mother of the young victim spoke on her behalf about how the incident had impacted her.
“The strength of this young lady to stand up to this defendant and take charge of her healing is courageous. Her family has built a strong foundation to support her moving forward,” Assistant District Attorney Kristen Judd said.
About the Author
