Sexual predator ‘Cookie Monster’ caught in terrified child’s bed during midnight break-in, police say
A repeat sex offender with a decades-long history of violations is back in custody after a terrifying middle-of-the-night encounter with a child in Omaha, Nebraska.
Lavern Scott, 65, known by authorities as "Cookie Monster," has been on the sex offender registry since 1987.
Police say early Friday morning, that didn’t stop him.
Officers were called to an apartment near 13th and Leavenworth around 1 a.m. after reports of a naked intruder, according to court documents obtained by WOWT. Investigators said that Scott walked through an unlocked front door, stripped off his clothes and went straight into a sleeping child’s bedroom.
A 9-year-old woke up to a nightmare.
"The suspect then got into bed," police wrote.
Moments later, the child began screaming.
Authorities say Scott pinned the child down, locking his legs in and using his feet "as hooks" to hold the child in place.
A family member rushed in and found Scott at the foot of the bed with a bottle of water and lotion, forcing him out before the situation escalated even further.
But the chaos didn’t end there.
NY PROSECUTOR SIDESTEPS SANCTUARY LAW AND COORDINATES ICE ARREST OF GUATEMALAN CHILD RAPE SUSPECT
Just one block away, police say Scott entered a second home, an Airbnb, claiming it was his. Residents removed him before officers later found him wandering a nearby street corner, wearing nothing but socks.
For law enforcement, this case is about more than one terrifying night, it’s about a pattern.
Scott’s criminal history spans decades. In addition to his 1987 conviction involving a minor, he was convicted in 1999 of attempted first-degree sexual assault. He has also been cited multiple times for indecent exposure and trespassing.
FAMILY WARNED NONPROFIT NOT TO FREE REPEAT OFFENDER WHO ALLEGEDLY KILLED MAN DAYS LATER
And despite being required to register for life, Scott has repeatedly failed to comply.
Records show violations in 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2024—totaling 2,777 days out of compliance. His last known registration with authorities was in 2023.
In Douglas County, there are 1,681 registered sex offenders. Authorities say 233 are currently non-compliant — living in the community with little to no supervision.
Scott was one of them.
"He’s the classic definition of a repeat offender, of a predator," Sheriff Aaron Hanson said.
Hanson is now sounding the alarm, acknowledging that "the system failed" and is calling for stronger supervision and coordination before another child becomes a victim.
Despite round-the-clock efforts by law enforcement, he said current state laws offer very few real tools to monitor high-risk offenders—leaving dangerous gaps before something like this happens.
The Omaha Police Association echoed those concerns, pointing to hundreds of non-compliant offenders still in the community and the risks they pose.
"This is why repeat offenders must be taken seriously," the organization wrote in a post on its Facebook page.
Officials say tips from the public are critical in tracking offenders. Anyone with information is urged to call the tip line at 402-444-6000.
The Douglas County Public Defender’s Office told Fox News Digital that Scott is not currently represented by their office and had no comment on the case.
Scott is now charged with attempted sexual assault, burglary and failure to register as a sex offender.
A judge set his bond at $1.25 million.
He remains in custody at Douglas County Corrections.
His next court date is scheduled for June 1.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Omaha Police Department and Douglas County District Attorney's Office for comment.