Virginia Man Arrested for Child Sex Crimes, Linked to Missing Stepdaughter
A man from Virginia has been arrested for multiple violent child sex offenses against his stepdaughter, with investigators noting that one of his young victims has been missing for over a decade.
James Blanton faces eight charges, including two counts each of child abuse, child indecency, supervised lewd conduct, and aggravated sexual assault, as announced by authorities on Friday.
The alleged crimes date back to June 2006, involving Caitlin Aikens and her sister. At the time, Aikens was just 10 years old, while her sister was 8. Reports indicate that Aikens was supposed to board a flight on December 5, 2015, which coincided with her disappearance.
Blanton, 46, was taken into custody on Friday. It is suggested that he was the last person to see Aikens, claiming he dropped her off near a subway station, and that she was meant to catch a train to the airport.
At the time, Aikens, who was 19, was headed to visit her fiancé and his mother in Arizona.
On the day she vanished, Aikens texted her mother to confirm her arrival at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. However, she never boarded the flight, and her cellphone was not found at the airport.
Two days after she went missing, her belongings, including her wallet and identification, were discovered in a ditch.
Initially, Blanton seemed willing to assist authorities in the investigation into Aikens’s disappearance. However, he later declined to provide his cellphone password or take a polygraph test.
State and federal investigators began searching Blanton’s home in Spotsylvania County on Friday, employing excavators and ground-penetrating radar in their efforts. They returned the following day, accompanied by the chief medical examiner.
According to officials, they were looking for any evidence that might suggest a crime had been committed. Although no charges have been filed related to Aikens’s disappearance, Blanton remains the primary suspect.
The sheriff’s office remarked, “This investigation remains open and active. We appreciate the continued support of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.”
Currently, Blanton is being held without bail at Rappahannock Regional Jail.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not commented on the ongoing situation.
