LEWES, Del. - A home in Sussex County formerly occupied by a convicted child sex offender is in talks of being destroyed but the home's historical value may prevent demolition from happening.
The house located at 344 Savannah Rd. in Lewes, owned by the Bethel United Methodist Church since 2014, was once home to pediatrician and pedophile Earl Bradley. Bradley was arrested in 2009 and indicted on 471 charges of the molestation and rape of more than 100 child patients.
Dan Miller who lives two doors down from the Bradley house said something should be done with the house.
"If they tear it down, that's fine. If they redo it, that's fine," said Miller. "Either one's fine with me. But leaving it as it is, I don't like that."
But Mary Haraham who lives in Bethany Beach but frequents Lewes often said she can relate to the pain of the victims' families and would like to see the house demolished.
"If I had a chance I'd probably burn it down if it happened to my kid," Haraham said. "It was horrible. It was horrible for everybody in every community around here."
The owners of the Bradley house have asked the Historic Preservation Commission for permission to demolish it.But according to Elaine Simmerman, chairwoman of the HPC, it's still an historic house in the historic district meaning there are strict regulations in place to protect homes like Bradley's from being destroyed, no matter how dark the history.
Simmerman told WRDE Wednesday that she, "doesn't know how it would work out' to destroy the house. The chairwoman said the HPC's first priority is to follow regulations and to not allow emotions to rule the decision.
Miller suggested other options for the house's fate if it can't be demolished.
"If they can't demolish they need to list it or give it away to someone who'll remodel it, just like the other two [houses] that are getting done next door," he said.
But to people like Haraham, risking historical significance pales in comparison to how hundreds of young lives have been ruined.
"I think every trace of that man who was a monster should be destroyed. I don't think it's fair to the parents, the relatives, grandparents of all those children," Haraham said.
A public hearing for the Bradley house demolition will be held April 14.