Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Abusing a 10-Year-Old Girl During Florida Family Vacation By Charna Flam

A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison after he was found guilty of sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl on a family vacation.

Justin Andrew Busby, who was over 18 years old at the time, was found guilty of sexual battery of a victim under 12 years by a jury on Jan. 13, Florida State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden said in a news release. 

Busby was “a trusted family member” to the 10-year-old victim. The sexual abuse occurred during a family vacation in Destin, Fla., between December 27, 2022, and January 3, 2023. 

“The victim did not initially disclose the sexual abuse to anyone but later spontaneously disclosed it to her parents while back in her home in Mississippi,” the news release said. She also alleged that she was abused in George County, Miss., WDAM reports.

George County Assistant District Attorney George Huffman said an 8-year-old child also accused Busby of sexually abusing them, per WDAM.

Local Mississippi law enforcement, including the Lucedale Police Department, conducted an investigation.

Busby was arrested in connection with the 10-year-old’s allegations in May 2023. He did not deny the allegations; however, when asked about the allegations, he “minimized his actions.”

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A grand jury in George County, Miss., later indicted Busby on one count of sexual battery of a victim under 14 and two counts of lustful touching of a minor, Huffman said, according to WDAM.

Following his conviction in Florida, Busby’s Jan. 20 status conference in George County, Miss., will be reset, Huffman said. He also has the ability to appeal the Florida conviction. With the recent ruling, the victims’ families can also choose to move forward with a trial in Mississippi or not.

PEOPLE reached out to the George County District Attorney’s Office for comment.

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