Slain North Port Child Was Sexually Assaulted,
January 6, 2007 4:47 p.m. EST


North Port, FL - After four months of silence, police are now saying
6-year-old Coralrose Fullwood was sexually assaulted.

North Port Police Chief Terry Lewis said at a press conference Friday
they now have "forensic evidence" that proves Coralrose was sexually
assaulted.


Coralrose was found dead on Sept. 17 in an abandoned lot adjacent to a
house under construction, near her Calabash Avenue home in North Port.
Her father, Dale Fullwood, said he last saw her in bed at 2 a.m., when
he returned from work at the Motor Sports Cafe in North Fort Myers. At
7 a.m., she was gone. Coralrose's body was found four hours later.

In what police said was an unrelated investigation, Dale was arrested
on Oct. 12 and charged with two counts of possession child
pornography. He is free on a $2,000 bond and awaits a July 16 trial.

Lewis is now saying that DNA and physical evidence shows that more
than one person was involved in the sexual assault of Coralrose
Fullwood. Lewis explained that meant someone who either had direct
knowledge of the assault or who participated in the assault.

"We have a DNA profile of a non-family member," Lewis said. However,
Lewis said that the family has not been ruled out.

Lewis also said police have constructed a criminal profile based on
the DNA and physical evidence found.

Lewis said the profile shows the offender is a white male and someone
familiar with the area.

"The offender is someone the family either knows or is an acquaintance
of," Lewis said, emphasizing that he is using the word "acquaintance"
loosely. Lewis said the offender likely has a girlfriend or is
married, and is someone who has "crossed paths" with Coralrose before.
Lewis added Coralrose, a first-grader, did not participate in any
high-risk activities, and her routine consisted of going to school and
staying at home.

Lewis said the offender probably saw Coralrose at home, saying he was
"not a stranger to her." He said the offender probably had a reason to
be at Coralrose's house.

Coralrose's mother, Ellen-Beth Fullwood, who now rents in Lee County,
was at the press conference. Coralrose's father, Dale Fullwood, who
lives somewhere in Cape Coral, did not attend.

Lewis said the case is a multi-agency investigation involving federal,
state and county agencies including Sarasota, Charlotte and Manatee
counties. He said the counties are still investigating leads and
making progress.

Lewis said he is still confident arrests will be coming in the case,
but he would not put a time frame on it. And yet, no suspects have
been named, nor has anyone in the family been ruled out as a suspect.