CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The ongoing saga involving Chillicothe Physician Assistant Rufus Lowman Jr. has taken a new turn, as authorities in Lee County, Florida, have initiated a criminal investigation into allegations of sexual abuse. The Guardian first brought to light the troubling accusations against Lowman and his medical practice, Rose Medical Clinic, located at 14 Health Drive, in Chillicothe.
The most disturbing allegations involve the alleged sexual abuse of a minor. A female victim came forward claiming abuse that began in 2008 when she was just 11 years old. The abuse reportedly occurred over several years in both Florida and Ohio. Despite an audio recording purportedly containing Lowman’s confession to the sexual abuse, the Ross County Sheriff’s Office has not filed charges due to a lack of reported cooperation from the victim. The investigation has been ongoing since 2015.
During our investigation, the Guardian obtained the same audio recording allegedly containing Lowman’s confession. In the recording, a man reported to be Lowman, allegedly blames the child for initiating the sexual encounters, a claim that constitutes victim shaming. The man can be heard saying, “She was sexually active at the age of 7. She was jumping people’s bones back before she was bleeding.”
The audio details the encounters allegedly between Lowman and the young girl in disturbing clarity. In one part of the recording, a man purported to be Lowman describes the initial interactions as “innocent rubbing” before the child allegedly responded with “moaning and groaning.”
Lowman also reportedly admitted to entering the girl’s bedroom with the intention of abusing her, stating, “I lay down with her but – not initiate anything – not initiate anything more than loving.” Additionally, he is alleged to have admitted to paying the victim to keep quiet about the abuse.
The Guardian has now learned that authorities in Florida have launched a new criminal investigation into the alleged abuse that occurred in their jurisdiction. This development comes despite the Ross County Sheriff’s Office having been aware of the allegations and the alleged confession since 2015 but not prosecuting the case, which remains “still under investigation.”
The initiation of this new investigation by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office underscores the seriousness of the allegations against Lowman and raises questions about the handling of the case by authorities in Ohio.