Philadelphia has witnessed a grim saga come to a close with the sentencing of Horace Battle, a convicted sexual predator who, in February 2025, abducted and raped an 11-year-old girl. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (DAO) reported that Battle, 47, received a prison sentence spanning 15 to 34 years, in addition to 3 years of probation. This follows a history of sexual violence that included a 2013 Rape of a Child conviction.
On a fateful day in February, Battle approached an 11-year-old and her sister in North Philadelphia with a false offer of transportation, subsequently leading to the kidnapping and traumatizing assault of the minor. When one sister left the vehicle to seek help, it catalyzed a search that led to the victim’s rescue after a harrowing nine hours. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office statement underscored the critical role played by the child’s sister, whose courage under pressure was pivotal in the victim’s recovery.
Battle’s conviction on charges of Rape of a Child, Kidnapping, and Unlawful Contact of a Minor follows an exemplary collaborative effort between the District Attorney’s Family Violence & Sexual Assault Unit and the Special Victims Unit (SVU) at the Philadelphia Police Department. Assistant District Attorney Katrina Wadas, Chief of FVSA, praised the seamless cooperation, as detailed in their public announcement…