‘I’m raising a survivor’: Father shares how daughter blew whistle on alleged child molestation case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A day after exposing charges filed against a Clark County man for alleged child molestation, the father of one of the victims is sharing how his daughter exposed the wrongdoings.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, told WAVE News his daughter texted him one night in October to tell him something was wrong.

Later, she told him Daniel Collins, 27, had encouraged her and her friends to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana, and touched and kissed some of her friends inappropriately.

The charges were filed against Collins by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Court documents show the case involves five girls under the age of 16. Each is a friend of children under the care of Collins.

Collins has been charged with multiple counts of child molesting and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The arrest report narrative says during an interview with the sheriff’s office, one of the juveniles said Collins hung out with them inside a large camper on his property and partied with them. The girl also said Collins provided them with alcohol and “weed” (marijuana) and would take them to Cincinnati to buy marijuana in bulk that he would sell from his home.

“Did they have a clue that they were with a monster; no,” the man said. “Did we have a clue that our survivors were with a monster? No. Do we all hope now that this monster rots in hell? Yes, I do. I hope that he dies, I hope he dies right there where he’s at.”

The man said he is struggling with parental guilt, but is proud of his daughter for coming forward to expose what happened.

“Why didn’t I see this sooner,” he asked. “Why didn’t I catch on to this? We are human. We can’t see everything in color all the time, and this is one of those times that I sure wish that I was able to. I know she saved a lot of people. I know she did. And when she stepped forward, that’s when that piece of s***, that’s when his world started crumbling. And I did tell him. I did let him know that he messed with the wrong girl.”

The man told WAVE News he is prepared to see the judicial process through until the end, hoping his daughter and her friends receive justice.

“I’m not raising a victim; I’m raising a survivor,” the man said. “Had it not been for my child, there’s no telling how long this would’ve went on.”

That father told me the Clark County detective on the case has been instrumental in helping the girls come forward with their stories.

Collins made his initial court appearance on November 7 on four counts of child molesting - fondling or touching a with a child under 14, and five counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor under 16. He is scheduled for pretrial conferences on February 22 and March 8. His jury trial is scheduled for April 4.

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