Couple will give up adopted son

Ocala Star Banner

WEST PALM BEACH  A newlywed couple living in Ocala will have to give up at least one child because the husband has admitted having sexual contact with one of his many adopted sons.

The bride of David Lindsey Sr.. a man who has admitted he molested one of his 11 adopted sons. will give up her own adopted 3-year-old son in order to keep her new husband out of prison. an attorney says.

After 10 months of denying accusations. David Lindsey Sr.. one of the first single men to adopt sons in Florida. changed his story Friday.

“Yes. sir." Lindsey. 43. said when Circuit Judge Thomas E. Sholts asked him if he had committed the attacks on David Allen Lindsey Jr. and a family friend.

The son now 19. was allegedly attacked between the ages oi‘ 12 and 16. The other boy was 14 at the time.

Lindsey's admission was part of a plea bargain that's on hold until Tuesday. when Teresa Van Ftiper. who married Lindsey earlier this month. is scheduled to appear before Sholts.

“I want to see her." the judge said. "I want to hear her come in here and express to me her views on this."

In return for Lindsey's guilty plea to two counts of lewd assault. prosecutors have agreed to drop one count of sexual battery and three additional counts of lewd assault. and recommend two 10-year probation terms. to be served concurrently. Several conditions also have been set as part of the agreement. including a stipulation that Ms. Van Ftiper give up custody of her son as long as she's living with Lindsey.

“He (Lindsey). his wife and his attorney came up with that alternative." said Mary Greene. coordinator of the state attorney's Crimes Against Children Unit.

Ms. Van Riper. who lives with Lindsey in Ocala. has agreed to relinquish custody of her adopted son to her parents. who live in Michigan. defense attorney Richard Lubin said.

Plans for a similar plea agreement were canceled March 9 when attorneys learned that Lindsey had married Ms. Van Riper on March 4, gaining a spouse and a young stepson.

Conditions of the agreement prohibit Lindsey from having any contact with children or adolescents age 16 or under. unless supervised by an adult familiar with his case.