I realize that when situations such as this case arises that emotions run deep. As a parent, our first reaction is to protect our children and when something like this happens to them, do we blame ourselves for "not seeing the signs" or wonder why we were not informed of the actions of the predator at the time when they were happening?
From a law enforcement officer's view, I can personally tell everyone that there is some type of bond among youths that they do not talk to adults about personal issues such as this. If a kid is being harassed or bullied, chances are they will not tell anyone. This is why if you go into a school, you will see posters about bullying, it asks that kids who see another kid being bullied to report it because more than likely, the kid being bullied will not for fear of further retaliation.
Same thing here. We don't know if this mindless person may have in any way threatened to harm the child or her family if she reported it. Just like rape, it's all about controlling their victim. And, more than likely, the predator normally does not start out performing his egregious acts the very first time that he meets his victim. There is a grooming process that is used. First, the predator will gain the trust of their victim. Then, they may start out by some light touching or even just holding hands. From there, it continues to escalate until the predator has complete control of the victim's mind. If it is let go long enough, to the victim, it almost seems like normal behavior. I know that sounds unreal, but it is the way the process works.
I can also understand the dad's need to retaliate or get revenge. However, doing so in a courtroom is very dangerous for everyone inside that room, especially if any weapons are involved. The judge in this case was very lenient, maybe too lenient. So now, I make make a few enemies when I say that the judge, being a female, may have worked in favor of the Dad. The judge had several options, but believe it or not the defendant in this case could have asked that charges be brought against the Dad for assault. No doubt, the case would have been dismissed, but it would have cost the Dad some money to have a lawyer.
It's a good thing that they got this person, but keep in mind that there are many more out there just like him and some even worse. I used to often wonder how many girls were being held against their will in the basement of a child predator and being used as sex objects. And, not just kids, but young adult females, as well.