From the outside it looks like any sleepy village, but the so-called ‘Miracle Village’ contains a much darker secret.
For, half of the population in the Florida community are registered sex offenders, who are forced to live away from the rest of society.
The village, located outside of Pahokee, features in a new BBC documentary presented by Stacey Dooley looking at laws in the state that punish paedophiles and other sex offenders for life.
One Miracle Village resident tells the host how he was convicted for having sex with his 14-year-old girlfriend when he was 18 – after she allegedly lied about her age.
Half of the population in the Miracle Village in Florida (pictured) are registered sex offenders. The community features in a new BBC documentary hosted by Stacey Dooley
Housing in the village was made available to sex offenders in 2009 by pastor Dick Witherow
According to the Mirror, Chris Dawson says on the show: ‘She lied to me about her age and had fake ID.
‘I had no idea. All her friends believed her so I believed she was 18 too.’
Others on the programme claim that they deserve a ‘second chance’, something that is not offered to them in Florida.
This is because state law prevents offenders of some sex crimes from living within 1,000ft of a school, park, day care centre or playground. In some cities and counties, that distance is 2,500ft.
In the BBC Three documentary, Stacey looks at laws in the state that punish paedophiles and other sex offenders for life
State law prevents offenders of certain sex crimes from living within 1,000ft of a school, park, day care centre or playground
That’s why in 2009 pastor Dick Witherow began making housing available to sex offenders at Miracle Village, which covers 175,000 square feet and was built in the 1960s to house sugar cane workers.
Located away from densely populated areas, it gives sex offenders a place where they are able to have a life away from state restrictions.
There are roughly 200 people residents in the village, with around 100 of these having been convicted of sexually abusing minors, viewing child pornography or even molesting their own children.
On the programme, Stacey also spends time with convicted sex offenders living in a homeless camp in Miami, where they are forced to live in tents
On the show, Stacey also spends time with convicted sex offenders living in a homeless camp in Miami, where they are forced to live in tents.
She also meets with Senator Lauren Book, along with her father, lawyer and lobbyist Ron Book, who have campaigned for more than 20 pieces of sex offender legislation – including the 2,500ft residency restrictions in Miami .
During the programme, she discovers that Lauren herself was abused for six years as a child by the family’s live-in nanny.
Stacey Dooley Investigates: Second Chance Sex Offenders airs on BBC Three on January 24.