12 charges filed against man in Tacoma day care attack

TACOMA, Wash. — A Pierce County prosecutor filed 12 charges Thursday against a man who is accused of beating and sexually assaulting a woman at a Tacoma day care.

Police said Andrake Morris, 18, is accused of beating and sexually assaulting a woman at the Tender Heart Day Care on Monday morning.

Morris was arrested later that evening and made his first court appearance on Tuesday.

A police source told KIRO 7 Morris was also being investigated in connection to other crimes, including sex crimes.

In court Thursday, Morris was formally charged with 12 counts – several of them were sex crimes or crimes including sexual motivation. The crimes were committed on five separate occasions between March 23, 2012 and March 18, 2013.

The original rape charge was reduced to attempted rape.

“The Tacoma police detectives on the Tender Heart day care attempted rape case did an excellent job at tying together these five crime scenes,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. "The community is safer now with the defendant in custody."

The 26-year-old victim, Kelli, in the alleged day care attack was also in court to face Morris, but she did not speak.

On Wednesday, Kelli told her story to KIRO 7 Eyewitness News about the alleged attack.

“I never had a chance to think. It was just, I don’t want to die,” Kelli said. “Before I know it, I’m on the floor. He was just so quick and it happened in a split second. I didn’t have a chance to think.”

Morris pleaded not guilty and his bail was set at $2 million. He remains in the Pierce County Jail.

Police said they are still seeking other possible victims in addition to the new charges.

KIRO