TALLAHASSEE — The secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice fired a Leon County detention officer and suspended the head administrator Thursday, just hours after being peppered by angry questions from lawmakers dissatisfied with his handling of the alleged rape of a mentally retarded inmate by another inmate in charge of bathing and diapering the victim.

Secretary Anthony Schembri fired Don Williams, a Leon County Regional Detention Center guard who reportedly told staffers there that "we have bigger things to worry about right now" than whether Lee Donton, a juvenile who had been convicted of sexual assault, was caring for the victim, whose IQ is 32.

Williams had worked for the department for at least 11 years, Schembri spokesman Tom Denham said Thursday. Schembri also suspended the center's superintendent, Linda Edwards-Ellis, with pay, pending an internal investigation.

Schembri's actions came four months after supervisors at the detention center learned that Donton had been assigned to care for "Robert," a 16-year-old who could barely speak, played with blocks and could not control his bowels, according to a department memo.

Under questioning by the House Justice Appropriations Committee, Schembri insisted he could not fire or suspend officers at the center until an internal investigation was completed. That investigation began just two weeks ago, he said, because Tallahassee police officers had asked him to hold off on it until they completed their own investigation.

But Donton was arrested on July 20 and sent directly to the adult jail based on two charges of sexual battery on a minor. He remains there.

Republican committee members appeared incredulous at Schembri's responses to why he had waited so long to take action, growing more rancorous as the three-hour meeting wore on.

"It's disheartening. You're the secretary. It's right here in Leon County. This boy was sexually abused, allegedly. Well, obviously, the police department and the state attorney felt that the charges were warranted enough to arrest him and direct file him into the adult system so they obviously had some evidence. Based alone on that why wouldn't you take action?" committee Chairman Gus Barreiro, R-Miami, demanded.

"We have rules in this department," Schembri responded.

But by the end of the day, Schembri reversed his position, firing the guard and suspending the guard's boss.

Tony Threatts, a supervisor at the center, sent an e-mail to the superintendent regarding the two detainees, saying "I want this off my hands" after his staff reported that "Donton (a sexual offender) is being allowed to shower and/or change (the victim's) diaper... and it was common practice and all staff including the lieutenant were aware of it."

The lieutenant referred to was Williams, according to Denham. When questioned by a staff member about it, the e-mail continues, Williams responded, "We have bigger things to worry about right now."

The scenario raised the specter of the 2003 death of Omar Paisley, who died of a ruptured appendix while in the department's custody. Schembri replaced former Secretary Bill Bankhead, who resigned in the turmoil that followed the boy's death.

"Robert" did not belong in the detention facility, where guards were not trained to deal with an inmate so developmentally challenged, Schembri and Barreiro agreed. He had been placed there temporarily by a Leon County judge after repeatedly pushing his grandmother, the memo states.

A mental health worker at the detention center wrote in an e-mail to Ellis and others that "Robert" required personal care assistance" including bathing, personal hygiene and toilet aid.

"Please help! Robert needs an environment that can offer him constant supervision" with personal hygiene and living skills, Tracy Shelby wrote in June.