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Sunday, feb 16
Tag:
Child Abuse
News
Life In Prison Could Be Avoided For Ex-Harrisburg Concertmaster In Child Rape Case: DA
The 58-year-old former Harrisburg Symphony concertmaster is facing life behind bars for the abhorrent rape of a child that lasted over a decade. But on Thursday, Feb. 13, authorities told Daily Voice that Odon J. Rathnam has been offered a plea deal that could spare him of that. As previously reported by Daily Voice on July 25, 2024, Rathnam was charged with multiple felonies, including rape of a child and aggravated indecent assault. The victim, who came forward at 22, accused him of abusing her from age six to 17, causing severe physical injuries, according to an affidavit by D…
Police & Fire
5-Year-Old Girl Physically Abused In Shippensburg, PSP Chambersburg Investigating
A 5-year-old girl was the victim of physical harassment in Franklin County, Pennsylvania State Police in Chambersburg announced on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Troopers responded to Baldwin Boulevard in Southampton Township on Sunday, Jan. 14 at 3:50 p.m. after receiving reports of physical contact involving the child, according to the public information release. Details about the nature of the abuse or potential suspects were not immediately disclosed. PSP Chambersburg confirmed the case remains under investigation, and no arrests or charges have been announced. Authorities encourage anyone wi…
News
Shaken Toddler, Alcohol Given To Minors Lands Foster Father Jail Time: PA AG
A Bedford County foster father will serve up to eight years in prison for violently shaking a toddler, leaving the child with a brain bleed, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced. Anthony Plotts, 40, of Hopewell, was sentenced on Friday, Feb. 7, after pleading no contest to felony aggravated assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said. The victim, one of three foster children in Plotts’ care, was hospitalized on July 31, 2022, with severe head trauma. Medical professionals determined the child’s injuries were consistent with a "violent shaking" …
Police & Fire
Sibling Sexually Assaults 11-Year-Old Brother, PA State Police Say
A Pennsylvania boy has reported being sexually assaulted by a sibling, prompting an investigation by state police, officials announced on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. The assault occurred at a home on Uffers Road in Coopersburg and was reported earlier this year, authorities said. After conducting an investigation starting on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2024, Pennsylvania State Police closed the case and filed charges against the sibling. Further details about the case, including the suspect's name, have not been disclosed.
News
4-Year-Old Abused By Jehovah's Witness Gets Justice: PA AG
A Jehovah’s Witness member from Philadelphia who sexually assaulted a 4-year-old child has been sentenced to up to four years in prison, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Friday, Jan. 31. David Balosa, 62, was convicted in September 2024 of aggravated indecent assault and related charges after a Philadelphia County jury found he used his position in a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation to befriend a family and later abuse their child in 1998. On Friday, a judge sentenced Balosa to two to four years in state prison, followed by six years of probation. He will also be required…
News
Explicit Video Shown To Students, Threatened Teen By Pennsylvania Paraprofessional: DA
A Reading School District employee showed sexually explicit material to middle school students, inappropriately touched a 13-year-old boy, and threatened another teen, the Berks County District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Stephanie Quintero-Ochoa, 19, of Reading, was charged with unlawful contact with a minor, indecent exposure, dissemination of explicit sexual material via electronic communication, corruption of minors, and endangering the welfare of children. The investigation began in December 2024 after multiple ChildLine reports alleged that Quintero-Ochoa was en…
News
PA Dad Used Pen Camera To Record Victims In Bathroom, Sexually Abused Boys: Affidavit
A Harrisburg dad is accused of sexually abusing two boys and secretly recording videos of them and another family member using a hidden pen camera, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Kemish A. Soto-Munet, 29, was charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, sexual abuse of children, invasion of privacy, and corruption of minors, according to investigators. **WARNING THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE DISTURBING** The investigation began on Sunday, July 28, 2024, with a Childline referral alle…
News
55lbs Twin Teens Running Naked In Freezing Temperatures Lands PA Parents Charges: Affidavit
Twin 15-year-old boys, each weighing only 55 pounds, were subjected to horrific abuse by their mother and stepfather, including being forced to stand outside naked in freezing temperatures and denied food, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan announced Monday, Jan. 27. Joshua Dechant, 36, and Tracy Dechant, 42, both of Lower Macungie Township, are charged with felony counts of endangering the welfare of children after a naked, malnourished teen was found running through their neighborhood in 2-degree weather on Jan. 22, according to the affidavit of probable cause. Pennsylvania Sta…
Police & Fire
Lea Waddell Charged With Assaulting Children At Carlisle Day
A Carlisle daycare worker is accused of physically assaulting two children, causing injuries, police announced on Thursday, Jan. 23. Lea Waddell, 28, of Carlisle, was charged with four counts of Felony 3 Endangering the Welfare of Children and one count of Misdemeanor 1 Simple Assault following an investigation into alleged abuse at a local daycare, according to Carlisle police. The investigation began in October 2024 after reports surfaced that Waddell had assaulted two students. Police say she pushed one child, causing the student to fall, hit their head on an object, and suffer facial br…
Police & Fire
$20 Dollars Offered To 9-Year-Old Girl By Accused Harrisburg Rapist: Affidavit
A 66-year-old Harrisburg man is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly raping a 9-year-old girl at her family’s home, authorities announced on Wednesday, Jan. 23. Arnold Courtney was arrested by the Harrisburg Police and U.S. Marshals Service on Tuesday, Jan. 21. He is charged with Felony Rape of a Child, Felony Aggravated Indecent Assault, Felony Corruption of Minors, and Misdemeanor Indecent Assault, according to police. The investigation began on Saturday, Jan. 11, when the child, identified in court documents as OM, confided in a female relative, that Courtney …
Police & Fire
Harrisburg Rapist Abused 13-Year-Old In Tent Behind Home Repeatedly, DA Says
A 31-year-old Harrisburg man has been arrested and charged with raping a victim 10 years ago when she was 13 years old, the Berks County District Attorney's office announced. The victim, now 23, came forward in November 2024 alleging that Jesse A. Hartman sexually abused her multiple times in 2014 in a tent behind a friend's home in Exeter Township, DA John T. Adams said. Hartman was 21 years old and was living in the basement of this same home, Adams said. The victim also said that on several occasions throughout the summer of 2014, Hartman sexually abused her along a walking trail located…
News
PA Youth Pastor Who Called Victim 'Child Bride' Caught In Philippines, Pleads Guilty
A former youth pastor from Bradford County who fled halfway around the world has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a child decades ago in a bizarre 'child bride' situation, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Saturday, Jan. 18. Robert David Fenton, 55, admitted to aggravated indecent assault and statutory sexual assault in connection with the abuse, which occurred while he was serving as a youth pastor at Abide in the Vine church between 1996 and 1998, starting when the victim was just 14 years old, according to the attorney general. “This trusted mentor figure use…
News
Jehovah's Witness Sexually Abused Family Member Under 7 Years Old: PA AG (
Update
)
A former Jehovah’s Witness from Butler County has been convicted of sexually assaulting a young family member over several years, beginning when the victim was just seven, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced Friday, Jan. 17. Shaun Sheffer, 45, was found guilty this week of multiple charges, including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, and corruption of minors, according to the AG's Office. The assaults took place between 1995 and 2000, during which Sheffer had a close relationship with the victim. Authorities said the abuse began wh…
Police & Fire
Teacher From PA Had Baby With Student She Sexually Assaulted For Years: Report
A 34-year-old Cape May County, NJ elementary school teacher was arrested and charged with having a sexual relationship with a student living in her home, with whom she shares a child with, according to police paperwork obtained by Daily Voice. UPDATE: New Details Emerge In Case Of Teacher Impregnated By 13-Year-Old Former Student Laura Caron, a fifth grade teacher at Middle Township Elementary School, had a relationship with the student, who was born in 2005, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland and Chief Michael Emmer in conjunction with Chief Tracey Super, of the Middle Township …
News
Pennsylvania Mom Handcuffs 11-Year-Old Son To Oil Tank: Police
A Lebanon mother is accused of handcuffing her 11-year-old son to an oil tank in their basement, the Lebanon County District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Chazzity Candelario, 33, restrained her son using handcuffs on Friday, Jan. 11 at approximately 9:55 p.m., Lebanon County Regional Police said. Officers were dispatched to the home on the 600 block of East Kercher Avenue after receiving a report about the juvenile male, authorities stated. An investigation revealed that Candelario had allegedly secured the boy to the oil tank in the basement, police said. She was arr…
News
Malnourished Toddler Weighing 19 Pounds Found In PA; Mom Charged: DA
A malnourished toddler weighing just 19 pounds — the average weight of a 9-month-old — was found neglected in Bristol Township, authorities said on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Breanna Marie Newman, 27, was arrested on felony child endangerment charges after her 27-month-old son was discovered in an apartment on Dec. 16, Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn announced. The boy was transported to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, where medical experts detailed his critical condition, including declining motor skills, a dangerously low heart rate, and severe malnutrition. Investigators…
News
Strasburg Man Accused Of Repeatedly Raping Girl Over 8 Years: Lancaster DA
A Strasburg man is accused of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a juvenile girl for nearly a decade, the Lancaster County District Attorney's office announced on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Brent Matthew Groff, 25, allegedly began assaulting the girl when she was about 8-years-old and he was 16-years-old at a residence in the 100 block of Charleston Drive, police said. The assaults reportedly continued at various locations from approximately 2015 until October 2023. The now 17-year-old victim told investigators that Groff raped and sexually assaulted her multiple times over the years. When co…
Police & Fire
Bodycam Footage Released Of Officer-Involved Maryland Motel Standoff With Wanted PA Fugitive
The Frederick County Sheriff's Office has released bodycam footage of the officer-involved shooting of a wanted Pennsylvania fugitive during a barricade situation at a Maryland motel last summer. Shortly before midnight on Aug. 1, 2024, deputies from the Frederick County Police Department and Sheriff's Office were called to the Super 8 motel on Monocacy Boulevard, where they were tipped off about a fugitive wanted out of Beaver County who was believed to be in the area. This video is a presentation intended to inform the public of details as we currently understand them related to a de…
News
Child Abuse Starting At 4 Years Old By Paradise Township Man: Lancaster DA
An 8-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted beginning at the age of 4 is among two victims of a Paradise Township man, Pennsylvania State Police said in a release on Thursday, Jan. 8. Khristopher Thomas Johnson, 41, of the 3500 block of Lincoln Highway East, allegedly assaulted the young girl multiple times at a residence in the 5100 block of Lincoln Highway in Salisbury Township, police said. A second victim, now 17, reported that Johnson also assaulted her at the same location when she was about 12 years old. She said he raped her during one of the incidents, according to police. The a…
News
Girl Sexually Abused By Caretaker In South Central PA: Affidavit
A Columbia man confessed to repeatedly sexually abusing a young girl under his care in December 2024, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Antonio Cueto, 41, called Lancaster County Wide Communications on Friday, Jan. 3, to report his actions and later turned himself over to Columbia Borough police, authorities said. **WARNING THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE DISTURBING** During an interview with officers, Cueto admitted to exposing himself to the girl, masturbating in front of her twice—once ejaculating—and touching her inappropriately on multiple occasions, po…
Police & Fire
Teacher Accused Of Grabbing Student: PA State Police
A teacher in Jackson Township is under investigation for allegedly grabbing a student’s arms, Pennsylvania State Police in Jonestown announced. The incident occurred at a school on Evergreen Drive in Jackson Township, Lebanon County, on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at 11:05 a.m., according to state police. Troopers were notified of the alleged physical contact via ChildLine, a reporting system for suspected child abuse. The school on Evergreen Drive is ELCO Middle School, but it has not been confirmed by officials whether the incident occurred there. The teacher is accused of grabbing a …
News
PA 12-Year-Old Girl Assaulted For Years: Affidavit
A Newberry Township man is accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl multiple times over several years, police announced on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Steven Allan Smith, 41, is charged with sexually assaulting a girl, identified as A.H., at a residence on Conewago Avenue, according to an affidavit filed by Detective Jonathan Taylor of Newberry Township Police. **WARNING THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE DISTURBING** A.H. disclosed during a forensic interview at the York County Child Advocacy Center that the abuse began when she was 10 or 11 years old. She reported that Smith would enter her room la…
Police & Fire
Man Asked PA Teen, Ohio 10-Year-Old For Sexual Pics, Videos On Snapchat: Prosecutors
A Commercial Township man was facing more charges after he was accused of soliciting sexual pictures and videos from a teen girl in northern Pennsylvania, authorities said. Michael Romig, 29, was additionally charged on Monday, Dec. 23, Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said in a news release. He was arrested on Friday, Dec. 13 after facing similar accusations involving a 10-year-old girl in Ohio. A Galeton, PA, mother contacted the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office on Thursday, Dec. 19 to report her 15-year-old daughter had been in "an online rel…
News
Former State College Psychologist Groomed, Sexually Assaulted Girl For Years: AG
A former State College-area psychologist groomed and sexually assaulted a young girl over an eight-year period, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Thursday, Dec. 19. Richard Lenhart, 63, of Bellefonte, used his position of trust to target the victim, sexually abusing her between 2005 and 2013 in the State College area, according to the Attorney General's office. The victim testified during the trial that Lenhart began grooming her at a young age before subjecting her to repeated acts of sexual assault, including rape and indecent assault, the release states. Lenhart …
News
Cumberland County Sex Offender Assaulted Two Young Girls Over Three Years: Affidavit
A Middletown man convicted as a sexually violent predator in for assaulting a girl under 13 years old in 2017 has been accused of grooming and sexually assaulting two girls, ages 6 to 9, over a span of three years, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Timothy Joseph Miller, 34, abused his victims at multiple residences in Cumberland, Franklin, and Dauphin counties, police detailed in the affidavit of probable cause. Miller, who police say sent explicit messages and gave secret cell phones to his victims, is accused of committing these crimes from April 20…
Police & Fire
Teen Groomed, Assaulted At Berkshire Mall By Sinking Spring Man: Police
A Sinking Spring man is accused of grooming and sexually assaulting a juvenile girl at a novelty store inside the Berkshire Mall, Wyomissing police announced on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Steven P. Najarian was arrested after an extensive investigation into unlawful sexual encounters involving a juvenile female, authorities said. Police determined that Najarian groomed the victim before the alleged assaults at the store located at 1665 State Hill Road in Wyomissing. Wyomissing detectives believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward, according to the release. "The Wyomissing…
Schools
PA School Failed To Stop Sexual Assault Of Faculty Member’s Child By Coach’s Son: Lawsui
An elite Pennsylvania boarding school allowed a basketball coach’s 12-year-old son to repeatedly sexually abuse a faculty member’s 7-year-old child due to failed safety measures and administrative negligence, a newly filed lawsuit claims. The lawsuit, filed Monday, Dec. 16, in Montgomery County Court, names the and its Head of School, Mark Devey, as defendants. It alleges the school ignored glaring security hazards and failed to act on numerous reports of faulty doors, locks, and cameras—conditions that enabled the abuse. The complaint, brought by the child’s mother under the pseudonym…
Police & Fire
Harrisburg Man Accused Of Raping, Kidnapping 12-Year-Old Girl: Police
A Harrisburg man is facing multiple charges, including rape of a child and kidnapping, after an incident involving a 12-year-old girl in uptown Harrisburg, police announced on Thursday, Dec. 5. I Marr Finley, 23, is accused of luring the child into a residence on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, where he allegedly committed acts resulting in charges of Rape of a Child, Kidnapping of a Minor, Unlawful Contact with a Minor, and Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse with a Child, according to Harrisburg Police. Finley was arrested after attempting to evade officers by leaping out of a second-story wind…
News
PA Foster Mom Admits To Strangling Infant
A North Whitehall Township foster mother has admitted to asphyxiating and strangling a 1-year-old girl in her care, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. Brenda Broadwater, 49, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault of a victim under 13 and endangering the welfare of children during a hearing before Judge Robert L. Steinberg. Both charges are felonies, and her plea agreement includes a minimum prison sentence capped at three years. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. The charges stem from a call to Pennsylvania State P…
News
Exclusive
: PA Mom Of Baby Girl Who Died Speaks Out Amid Abusive Murder Case
The mother of a 3-month-old girl who died under suspicious circumstances spoke exclusively to Daily Voice on Wednesday morning, Nov. 27, sharing her perspective on the events leading up to the tragedy and the allegations that followed. In the emotional interview, the infant’s mom denied that her daughter was ever shaken or dropped, contradicting details outlined in the affidavit. "She was fully conscious when in the shower because she cried when she first went in," she said. "It was only a few minutes before I was called, and she was limp with mucus coming from both her nose and mouth. While…
News
Details Revealed In Infant’s Death; PA Man Faces Murder Charge: Affidavit
Newly released court documents provide chilling details about the events leading up to the death of a 3-month-old baby, for which Harrisburg resident Eriezer Eddie Melendez Jr., 37, is now facing a murder charge. According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by Daily Voice on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 27, Pennsylvania State Police were dispatched to a home on Canvasback Drive in Oliver Township on Thursday, Nov. 15, at 8:31 a.m., for a report of an infant in cardiac arrest. The baby, identified as "CR," was transported to Penn State Hershey Medical Center, where doctors determined she…
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