SANILAC COUNTY, Mich. – It could be the first case of its kind in Michigan.
A judge in Sanilac County awarded joint legal custody to a man who raped a young girl, the victim's attorney said. She was just 12 at the time and now has an 8-year-old boy.
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The convicted rapist and biological father Christopher Mirasolo was not on the child's birth certificate.
With joint legal custody, the child's mother feared Mirasolo could have input in decisions regarding the boy's education, religion and medical issues. She also feared he could end up having the right to spend time with the child.
But on Monday, Barabra Yockey, the attorney representing Mirasolo, said the case was resolved privately.
In the agreement, Mirasolo will not pursue a relationship with the child and he will not make contact with the mother. He also said he will continue child support payments, WDIV reported.
The issue began when the victim, now 21, applied for state aid.
Sanilac County assistant prosecutor Eric Scott filed a motion to establish paternity and collect child support.
"He claims my client agreed to it and even claimed she signed the judgment, and I'm like, 'No, she didn't. I have it right here,'" Rebecca Kiessling, the victim's attorney said.
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Mirasolo pleaded guilty to attempted third-degree criminal sexual conduct and served a half-year in jail. He was later convicted of sexually assaulting another young girl.
"Hopefully other rape victims who experience the same thing will hear word of this, and also judges will learn that they can't be doing this sort of thing and will held accountable," Kiessling said. "Everyone told me it wouldn't happen or go through, but here we are and it's happening now."
Mirasolo's attorney said the motion to establish paternity came as a surprise to her client and was not pursued by them.
Read the original story on KSAT sister station WDIV in Detroit.
