PHILADELPHIA (December 8, 2025)— Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, DAO’s Family Violence & Sexual Assault Unit (FVSA) announced on Monday the conviction and sentencing of defendant Horace Battle for his role in the abduction and rape of a minor in the North Philadelphia section of the city in February 2025.
Defendant Horace Battle (DOB 04/02/1978) was convicted of:
- Rape of a Child (F1)
- Kidnapping (F1)
- Unlawful Contact of a Minor (F1)
In February 2025, two 11-year-old sisters were walking down the street when Battle, who was in his late 40s and a stranger to them, pulled up in a white SUV and asked the sisters if they needed a ride. Both initially declined but he insisted, and the girls asked him to drive them to their uncle’s home. When the sisters got into the SUV, Battle instead drove them to his home on 1635 W Lehigh Ave and asked if they’d like to come in to use the restroom. One sister remained in the car, and the other followed Battle inside.
After waiting around 15 minutes, the sister who remained in the car became worried that her sister, the victim, was still inside Battle’s house. The sister who remained in the vehicle left the white SUV and ran down the street shouting for help. A bystander took her in and called 911. SVU Detectives canvassed the neighborhood looking for the white SUV and found a white Chevy Equinox fitting the description they were given. When detectives ran the license plate to the SUV, it came back to the name and address of Battle, alongside a designation of “sexually violent predator” due to a 2013 Rape of a Child conviction.
Detectives moved with urgency inside the home, where they found the 11-year-old victim hysterically crying and shouting for help. Battle was inside with the victim only wearing his underwear. Battle was taken into custody, and the victim was taken to Philadelphia Children’s Alliance where she explained, in harrowing details, what she endured. In total, the victim was inside Battle’s home for nearly 9 hours.
On November 25, 2025, the Honorable Judge Woelpper sentenced Horace Battle to an additional 3-10 years for a Violation of Probation. He is now serving his total sentence of 15-34 in prison, plus 3 years of probation.
“This kind of crime so often goes underreported,” said Assistant District Attorney Katrina Wadas, Chief of FVSA. “The Family Violence & Sexual Assault Unit works closely with the Special Victims Unit at the Philadelphia Police Department and it was through their diligent investigation that this young victim was able to be found.”
“I want to thank the victim’s sister, who, through her heroic determination during an especially dire moment, found the help she needed to save her sister,” said ADA Allison Christian. “I would also like to thank the victim for her strength and courage to tell her story. Crimes of sexual violence do not just impact the victim, but the entire community. Thankfully, Mr. Battle is in a place where he can hopefully no longer inflict harm on children.”
“I want to be very clear: This office has no tolerance for people who brutalized and abuse vulnerable victims,” said District Attorney Larry Krasner. “I want to thank Allison Christian for her thorough prosecution and members of the Philadelphia Police Department’s SVU for their meticulous investigation. We also want to encourage other young people who may have been victims at the hands of this defendant to come forward with information. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, as well as our law enforcement and victim services partners, are here to support you.”
