Man charged after child says she was sexually abused

IDAHO FALLS — A 44-year-old man has been charged aft a kid reported he sexually abused her successful beforehand of her siblings while they had VR headsets on.

Johnny Whitaker is charged pinch felony lewd behaviour pinch a kid nether 16 years old.

According to tribunal documents, a Bonneville County Sheriff’s detective was assigned to travel up connected a kid intersexual maltreatment lawsuit connected May 9.

During a constabulary interview, nan unfortunate said she was astatine a relative’s location watching TV erstwhile a photograph appeared that looked for illustration Whitaker, according to tribunal documents.

The unfortunate told her related that nan man looked for illustration Whitaker and said, “I dislike him. He’s a pedophile.”

She said Whitaker had sexually abused her aggregate times. The related convinced nan unfortunate to show their parents, and rule enforcement was notified.

During nan interview, nan unfortunate disclosed that Whitaker utilized to sojourn nan family erstwhile she was astir 8 years old, but it had been a fewer years since she past saw him.

The unfortunate told nan interviewer they would often play pinch a VR headset Whitaker abused her while her siblings were utilizing it truthful they could not spot what was happening.

She stated she was “very frightened each nighttime because she didn’t cognize what he was doing to everyone” and aft being abused, she would spell to a chamber and fastener nan doorway until different big came home.

After nan interview, nan detective said pinch nan victim’s mother who was reportedly very upset. She said said it “made her recognize why (the victim) had been having behavioral issues starting astir nan suspected clip these (abuses) had occurred.”

The mother said nan unfortunate had been “increasingly angry and fighting pinch (her siblings) much than usual.”

The detective contacted Whitaker who was reportedly “very evasive and argumentative” and refused to meet pinch nan serviceman until he was told of nan imaginable complaint against him.

Whitaker agreed to look for an question and reply connected May 24, but ne'er showed up.

On May 28, nan victim’s related said pinch constabulary and said Whitaker would “force (the victim) to beryllium really adjacent to him.”

According to nan sibling, Whitaker would springiness nan children hugs that “were very tight and he would clasp nan hug for on clip and not fto spell erstwhile nan girls fto go.”

On June 13, nan detective met pinch Whitaker and his attorney. Whitaker said he knew “almost nothing” astir why he was asked to speak pinch a detective.

During nan interview, Whitaker said nan unfortunate and 2 siblings had stayed astatine his location complete a twelvemonth agone for a play of 3 days, and they would often play nan Oculus, which is simply a VR headset.

Whitaker said they “had a normal, patient relationship” and nan children’s mother tin “be each complete nan spot pinch what she thinks is simply a large summons item.”

He past denied inappropriately rubbing nan unfortunate and said he would beryllium consenting to return a polygraph test. It is not clear what nan results were, aliases if nan polygraph trial was ever taken.

Later, nan mother of nan unfortunate had different of nan siblings do a forensic interviewer, who said Whitaker gave “uncomfortable hugs” but said she did not spot thing forbidden betwixt him and nan victim.

A warrant was issued for Whitaker’s apprehension successful Canyon County connected July 17 and he was transported to nan Bonneville County Jail wherever he appeared successful tribunal for an first quality connected July 26. He posted $10,000 bail and a no-contact bid was issued for nan victim.

Whitaker is expected to look for a preliminary proceeding connected Aug. 9. If convicted, he could look up to life successful prison.