MIAMI – A Miami man is facing a felony charge after police said he sexually assaulted a young girl.

A Miami Police Department arrest report states that the allegations against Osher Joshua Pittman, 21, of Allapattah, were laid out in a forensic interview on May 19.

Police said the victim, an 8-year-old “family friend,” told investigators that the assault happened at Pittman’s home in the 2000 block of Northwest 19th Terrace after he “placed his hand inside her pants and then her underwear.”

The report states that the girl was unsure of the day the incident occurred.

Authorities said they located Pittman on Tuesday in the area of Northwest 22nd Avenue and 20th Street and took him into custody.

They said he “denied the allegations” and told detectives he has had “ongoing issues with the victim’s mother” since he was 18.

At least three additional statements were redacted from the arrest report.

As of Wednesday, Pittman was being held without bond in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a charge of sexual battery on a minor by an adult.

Just five weeks after being paralyzed in a shooting outside his home, the 18-year-old proudly rolled across the graduation stage in his wheelchair Tuesday during a ceremony at the Ocean Bank Convention Center on the Florida International University campus.

Milestone in Johnson’s life

The moment marked a milestone Nehemiah Johnson and his family feared might not come. What was almost a tragedy became a moment of triumph and testimony.

Johnson, who had been hospitalized at Jackson Memorial Hospital after being shot outside his Northwest Miami-Dade home on April 21, accepted his diploma from Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School to cheers and support from the crowd.

When asked how he felt about getting his diploma, Johnson said, “That’s my goal. Feeling real good for that.”

Before the shooting, Johnson had been the captain of the varsity basketball team and had enlisted in the U.S. Marines.

Reflecting on the past few months, Johnson shared the emotional toll the experience has taken.

“For these last couple months, it’s been a little up and down, but I’m feeling real blessed and happy to be here,” he said.

When asked about the future, Johnson shared that while the Marines had been the plan, things have shifted.

“Things change. So I’m trying to go to college now. I’m trying to stay offbeat,” he said. “I’m just going with the flow and seeing what things take me.”

Surrounded by friends, family and coaches, Johnson said, “I feel real good. It’s a lot of, it’s a lot of support everywhere, friends, family, my coaches. I’m just happy, man.”

A mother’s gratitude and hope

His mother, Naytalia, expressed her overwhelming gratitude and pride.

“I feel good about it. I’m thankful and grateful that he’s here for graduation, and we’re very thankful that he’s here today,” she said. “Bright future, we hope still, yes, still bright future. He’s planning to go to college. He got some options open, so yeah.”

She added, “We’re just feeling amazed. Uh, we’re thankful for them, thinking about him, the heat, thinking about him, the school thinking about him. I’m thankful for my pastor. He’s been with us every step of the way. Um, we’re just grateful. We’re grateful.”

“We’re not at a funeral. We’re at a graduation.”

Pastor Gaston Smith, who’s been closely supporting the family, said the night was nothing short of a blessing.

“Super proud, super proud, super grateful that we’re not at a funeral, we’re at a graduation, and day by day, he’s getting better. And we know that all his dreams are going to come true, and this is just the start of what God is going to do,” Smith said.

Case remains unsolved

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said the shooting occurred at 10:51 p.m. on April 21 near N.W. 28th Avenue and 87th Terrace.

Johnson’s mother believes it was a case of mistaken identity. She said her son was shot while cleaning out her car.

There are still no new leads in the case. When asked about justice, Johnson said, “Yeah, yes, I’m. I’m not too rare about who shot me. I’m just running about hitting that’s it.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).

DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) – Miami-Dade Animal Services is urging the public to help alleviate overcrowding at their shelters with temporary volunteer and foster homes.

The facility is dealing with an emergency: they have too many animals and too little space and hope animal lovers can hear their message.

“This is a challenge and it’s a challenge that requires so many people to cooperate and collaborate,” the director for Miami-Dade Animal Services, Annette Jose, said. “We’ve been over capacity for over two years.”

With 550 dogs and only space for 350, Miami-Dade uses its own facility in Medley as overflow, but most dogs are doubled up in a kennel and separated by an opaque divider.

However, Jose is hoping more members of the public will open their doors, even as a temporary shelter, with volunteers and foster homes.

“Teachers are home for the summer, kids are back from college. Come and take a dog for the summer, let him spend some time in a nice, cool home and maybe get adopted,” said Jose.

She said volunteers and fosters don’t even have to commit to housing them for several months. Committing to a weekend or just taking one of their dogs for a walk can be helpful for the shelter.

“You can take them to the park, to Starbucks, to the beach, but while you’re doing that, they’re wearing an ‘adopt me’ vest,” said Jose. “We are removing every barrier there is to taking a dog out of the shelter.”

Miami-Dade Animal Services already provides low cost spay and neuter operations and vaccines to help reduce the number of potentially homeless animals, but it’s still an uphill battle.

Among the animals staying at the shelter is a dog named Logan, who has been at the shelter for one-and-a-half years. He requires eyedrops daily, but shelter officials said he’s very good with other dogs and is just looking for a family.

Miami-Dade Animal Services joins Broward County Animal Care in searching for solutions to alleviate their overcrowded shelters.

“This is not a place where a pet should be living. They should be living in a home. The shelter isn’t a good place for a pet, it should be the last resort,” said Jose.

For more information on adopting a pet or to become a volunteer, click here.

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