First he gave her a $100 Christmas present for making his favorite breakfast biscuits. Then, after winning a $315 million Powerball jackpot, Andrew Jack Whittaker helped her buy a $123,000 house.
A happy story, except that, now that they know a sex offender lives in their neighborhood, Moss Creek subdivision residents arent so thrilled with the February purchase Whittaker made for C&L Super Serve clerk Brenda Higginbotham.
Earlier this week, residents found fliers stuck in their doors notifying them that David M. Dawson, 43, had been convicted of third-degree sexual assault of a minor between the ages of 13 and 17. He lives in the house Whittaker funded for Higginbotham, whos an employee of the convenience store/gas station where Whittaker not only is a fan of breakfast but also bought his winning lottery ticket in December.
Dawson was charged with assaulting a female acquaintance in 2000 and was given five years probation for his crime. According to Putnam County magistrate and circuit court records, he hasnt been charged with any other crimes in the past 10 years.
Im bothered by the fact that hes in the neighborhood, period, said resident Amanda Levell, mother of three. She lives a few houses down the street from Higginbotham and Dawson. We spent $20,000 more to buy a home and live here in a better neighborhood for our children.
Moss Creek is a typical subdivision, full of moderate- to high-income residents located in one of the more populated areas of Putnam County. Most of the families who live there also have small children, said one neighbor.
Higginbotham and Dawson live in a two-story home in the neighborhoods main circle. Neither of them was available for comment Thursday afternoon.
Levell said she found the flier Tuesday night. The printout from the State Police on-line registry of sex offenders was wedged in her screen door when she came home. After checking to see if other neighbors got the same thing, she said she concluded that another neighbor was passing them out.
Since then, she said she has told her kids to be careful, as she does with all strangers or adults they dont know, and then got to thinking about the whole thing.
In a way, I feel bad for him that the paper went around, she said. Girls lie about their ages all the time. I dont know what the situation was. Maybe hes changed and deserves a fair shot.
But I am glad to know, she said.
Jack Whittaker Foundation spokesman Bill Bissett said he had no comment about the stir Dawsons criminal past has caused in the Moss Creek neighborhood.
What Jack does with his personal money is his personal business, Bissett said. Thats all I can say. The foundation doesnt build anyone a home.
Connie Parker, another Moss Creek resident, said she found out about Dawson about a week ago, when her daughter-in-law searched on-line for sex offenders in the area. She got the idea from an Oprah Winfrey show about such criminals.
Hes on probation, so I guess hes doing OK, Parker said of Dawson. As far as I know, he has never bothered anybody. Theyre [both] real quiet people.
But I think we should let the neighborhood know. Theres not much we can do about it, but at least we know.
All the press cover that Jack Whittaker has gotten since he won the lottery should be a lesson for future jackpot winners. When you win, say nothing to the press, simply say Thank you to the lottery person handing you the check and go home.
Jack Whittaker is the poster boy for why you should claim anonymously with a trust... If I win tonight's Powerball, I'll be the perfect spokesman, a silent one.
He'll always make the news, one way or another.
All the press cover that Jack Whittaker has gotten since he won the lottery should be a lesson for future jackpot winners. When you win, say nothing to the press, simply say Thank you to the lottery person handing you the check and go home.
RJOh
Jack Whittaker is the poster boy for why you should claim anonymously with a trust... If I win tonight's Powerball, I'll be the perfect spokesman, a silent one.