Orange Sheriff: Man raped toddler at SeaWorld Orlando, filmed crime
Cocoa man charged after viewing of cell phone photos
Michael Grzybowicz (Brevard County Jail, Brevard County Jail / February 26, 2011)
12:33 a.m. EST, February 26, 2011
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A Brevard County man faces charges of raping a two-year-old girl last week at SeaWorld Orlando after her mother left him to watch the toddler, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
The crime was discovered when pictures of the rape were found on Michael Grzybowicz's cell phone, sheriff's records state.
A member of the Cocoa Police Department's Sex Crimes Unit confiscated the phone.
Four photographs on the phone's memory chip clearly show the violation of the youngster wearing a diaper and a yellow sun dress while she rode in a dark blue stroller, records state. The child visited Sea World on Feb. 17 with her mother, father and Grzybowicz, records state.
A check of the camera showed the photos were e-mailed to the personal Yahoo account of the suspect, who works as a cook at Smokey Bones restaurant in Melbourne, records state. Grzybowicz, 26, told investigators he didn't know how the photos got onto his cell phone, records state.
The victim's mother told investigators that the only time she left her daughter in Grzybowicz' s care was for about 10 minutes while she and her boyfriend enjoyed an amusement ride.
On Friday, after learning of the attack, SeaWorld Orlando spokesman Nick Gollattscheck said, "Nothing is more important than the safety and welfare of our guests, and our team members are trained to report any kind of suspicious behavior. We are cooperating fully with the Orange County Sherriff's office investigation. Illegal behavior of any type is not tolerated at our parks. Our thoughts are with the family at this very difficult time."
Orange County Sheriff's Captain Angelo Nieves said the case had been under investigation by Cocoa police and the sheriff's office. Grzybowicz has been held without bail since Saturday in the Brevard County Jail on charges of possessing child pornography.
On Friday afternoon, Nieves wrote that the defendant is "awaiting transport to the Orange County Jail on the warrant pending in this investigation." The warrant states Grzybowicz faces charges of sexual battery on a child younger than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious molestation of a child younger than 12 years old.
Sheriff's records indicate the case has been referred to the state Department of Children and Families and that Cocoa police are investigating the possible molestation by Grzybowicz of another child unrelated to the toddler and the incident at Sea World.
hcurtis@tribune.com or 407-420-5257
