MARIETTA, Ga. – The father of a 44-year-old woman described as developmentally delayed said she is undergoing therapy after allegedly being assaulted by a Cobb County Police Officer.
Officer Robert New was arrested on Monday, June 18, and charged after investigators discovered that he physically and mentally abused the woman during a relationship between March 1 and March 31, 2018, according to an arrest warrant.
The victim’s father was still emotional about allowing his daughter to go out with the 46-year-old, who was being held without bond Tuesday night in the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.
“There's a lot of trauma going on right now, there's a lot of therapy going on right now,” the victim’s father told 11Alive.
But there is one thing her father wanted people to know.
“I'm totally in favor of the police department they've been phenomenal, you've got a bad individual there, they've taken care of it and finished with it,” he said.
Police said New, who has been with the department since 2005 and was recently part of the DUI division, is accused of slapping the victim, trying to strangle her and was assaulting her throughout the entire month of March. They say the two met online.
The victim is developmentally delayed and, according to the warrant, has the mental capacity of a 10-to 14-year-old female. While describing the physical abuse to investigators, the warrant said, the victim was visibly shaking with fear.
According to warrants, New sent the victim abusive text messages and even contacted her after she warned him to stay away. Investigators said he would also send her messages, saying, "I am in charge, I am in control."
“I don't think police officers are a danger to the community," an official said. "I think that what we're dealing with here is a police officer that has engaged in what appears to be criminal activity and the department and county is taking appropriate action.”
New has been placed on administrative leave without pay and is being held at the Cobb County Jail without bond. He made the first appearance before a magistrate judge Tuesday evening, where his case was bonded over to Superior Court where he'll have another bond hearing.
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