Robeson sitter shot, charged with sex offense

Authorities said a woman shot Ray Demery Jr., 43, of Trenton Drive in Lumberton, after her daughter said he molested her.

Posted 9:16 p.m. Jun 24, 2009 — Updated 9:16 p.m. Jun 24, 2009

PEMBROKE, N.C. — The Robeson County Sheriff's Office is investigating a case of a vigilante reaction to alleged child molestation.

Authorities said a woman shot Ray Demery Jr., 43, of Trenton Drive in Lumberton, after her daughter said he molested her.

Lt. Kathy Torre said Demery was being held in the Robeson County Jail under a $120,000 bond on a charge of first-degree sex offense. Demery was arrested Tuesday, she said.

A Pembroke woman told deputies she asked Demery to watch her 7-year-old daughter Saturday night. While she was out, she got a call from her child to come home, only to find Demery locked outside her house. When the girl told her mother that Demery had touched her inappropriately, the mother opened fire, hitting him twice, deputies said.

Torre said Demery initially lied to deputies about how he got the wounds, saying he did not see his shooter. He later said the mother shot him, but that he did not know why.

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