A 72-year-old Illinois man accused of sexually abusing a child in a wheelchair has been released pending trial.
The suspect is identified as John G. Finch of Antioch, Lake and McHenry counties. report Tuesday. The newspaper noted that the Court of Appeal overturned the judge's original ruling in the case and ordered the men released.
image show Man accused of targeting children under 13:
An appeals court has reversed a judge's decision and ordered an Antioch man accused of sexually abusing a young child in a wheelchair to be released pending trial. https://t.co/kVJ0mKP48Y
— Lake & McHenry County Scanner (@LMCScanner) January 16, 2024
In October, authorities charged him with one count of aggravated sexual molestation of a child.
Lake County Deputy State's Attorney Dino Catrice said several families had come to Finch's home in February to celebrate the dog's birthday. He is reportedly not related to the victim in this incident.
“Catrice stated that the victim and the second child were alone in the room eating ice cream when Finch came in with a beer in hand,” the scanner report continued. “According to Ms. Catrice, her two children reported that Mr. Finch told them that they were “cute and sexy'' and that he was going to “send all the boys to school,'' the report said.
During the incident, the suspect allegedly rubbed the victim's shoulders and put his hand under her bra. Meanwhile, another child in the room claimed the man. grandfather When she was five years old, she pulled down the young victim's bra strap.
After prosecutors moved to detain Finch, Lake County Judge Theodore Potconjak granted the prosecutor's request to keep him in custody until his trial in October.
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But the Illinois Second District Court of Appeals issued the order in December after Finch appealed the ruling, and the appellate court later ordered a hearing on the case.
“During the hearing, prosecutors said they would not appeal the Court of Appeal's decision overturning the detention order,” the newspaper reported. Potkonjak also announced that the suspect had been released from prison.
He has since been ordered to have no contact with the victim in the incident or other children in the area.
According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) Website, “Child sexual abuse is a type of child abuse that involves sexual activity with a minor. Children cannot consent to any form of sexual activity. ”
“When perpetrators interact with children in this way, they are committing a crime that can have consequences for their victims for years,” the site said.
one way reduce The risk of such abuse is that adults “enable their interactions with children to be observed and interrupted.” If possible, choose a group situation,” advises the organization From Darkness to Light – Ending Child Sexual Abuse.
