MIAMI (WSVN) — A South Florida mother who claims her 13-year-old son was drugged and raped by their property manager is taking legal action along with the family of another alleged victim.
The mother, who asked not to be identified or show her face on camera, said 43-year-old Adam Goldberg, who had a key to their home, used pills to victimize her son. "He used to see little pills, but he didn’t know," she said. "He would fall asleep and he’d wake up in odd positions."
Attorney Christopher Marlowe, who is representing some of the alleged victims, said this family’s case was not isolated. "He was drugging them, and he was raping them. We started with one case, then it was two, then it was three," he said.
Among Marlowe’s clients is an 8-year-old boy, and he said this child was the reason Goldberg, a registered sex offender, was arrested in December of 2013 and put behind bars where he currently remains.
But Marlowe said the families plan to go beyond the rape allegations. They are circulating a petition outlining a proposed law for renters that would make it clear who would have a key to their home. "Together with the lead disclosure [rule] and the asbestos, a simple check mark, yes or no, ‘We either do or do not screen our employees for sex offenses,’" said Marlowe.
This push for change in Florida law was partly inspired by a loss in court. A civil suit filed against Goldberg’s employers, who charged him with taking care of at least five homes in Liberty City, was initially dismissed, then on appeal, three weeks ago. "Because there was no legal duty, in their opinion, to disclose that proactively, the case was dismissed," said Marlowe.
That disclosure would have informed residents that Goldberg is a registered sex offender. After serving time in prison for child pornography, he had landed the job as a property manager.
The alleged teen victim’s mother said she should have been warned about this critical detail by the owner of her rental property. After all, she argued, if schools and playgrounds are protected, why not where you lay your head down at night? "I can do more to help, protect other families, and by doing that, I’m going to start here," she said.