A Walker County man has been sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of raping and molesting two children in his family.
What’s Happening: A Walker County jury convicted 24-year-old Christian Austin Raines, on Dec. 3 after a three-day trial before Chief Superior Court Judge Brian House in Lafayette.
Raines was found guilty on eight counts, including rape, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, child molestation, and false imprisonment.
What’s Important: The case involved two minor family members who reported sexual abuse that prosecutors said went on for years. Judge House sentenced Raines to life in prison, with the first 30 years to be served behind bars.
The Case: Prosecutors said the investigation began in June 2021 after a child family member was seen leaving a bathroom with Raines while crying. The child told others that Raines had locked the child in the bathroom and sexually assaulted them. A second young family member then disclosed that Raines had also been molesting them.
The Investigation: Law enforcement took the children to the Children’s Advocacy Center, where they were interviewed by senior forensic interviewer Holly Kittle. During those interviews, the younger child described additional abuse and said it had started years earlier and had recently gotten worse. The older child said Raines had sexually touched them. Medical exams were conducted, and the younger child’s exam showed medical evidence of molestation.
What Police Found: Former Walker County Sheriff’s Office investigator Zach Simpson handled the case. After reviewing the interviews and medical findings, he secured arrest warrants. Authorities said Raines later admitted to most of the allegations during an interview after his arrest.
The Sentence: During sentencing, prosecutors told the court that Raines showed no remorse at any point, including during his testimony. Judge House cited that lack of remorse when imposing a life sentence, with 30 years to be served in prison.
What Officials Said: “You hurt a child in this community, and we will come for you. And we won’t miss.” Clayton M. Fuller, district attorney for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit said.
