Man accused of lewd conduct with a 4-year-old released without bond
Published at | Updated at
Editor’s note: Many graphic details and language have been left out of this report, however, events described in this article may be disturbing to some readers. Discretion is advised.
IDAHO FALLS — An 84-year-old man accused of lewd conduct with a 4-year-old was released from jail Monday.
Police arrested Charles Cecil Carroll on a felony lewd conduct with a child warrant last week.
The Idaho Falls man was booked into the Bonneville County Jail on Friday and held on a $50,000 bond.
During an arraignment hearing, Judge Keith Walker ordered the release of Carroll with zero bond, according to Bonneville County court clerks. Carroll was release to pretrial services, who had recommended the release.
Carroll has no criminal history in Idaho and will have to meet the stipulations placed on his conditional release.
Police reports show officers began investigating Carroll on April 6 after receiving information from the child’s mother that she had witnessed her 4-year-old daughter touching Carroll, who was unclothed.
The incident occurred the same day in the 300 block of 14th Street.
The victim told her mother there was further abuse. Following the advice of detectives, the victim’s mother took her to the hospital to be evaluated.
Detectives conducted a forensic interview with the child, who described in her words various different sexual abuse acts that she experienced while with Carroll, according to court records.
The child was able to remember times, places, actions, emotions and physical pain, according to a police report.
Detectives later contacted Carroll, who admitted to some of the allegations of sexual behaviors between him and the victim. Carroll denied other sexual acts, saying he was unable to recall all the events, but told detectives he didn’t think the child was lying, according to police reports.
Carroll told detectives he didn’t think it was a big deal, Carroll said the child was “investigating and learning,” according to court records.
Detectives asked Carroll if this was first time he had sexual contact the child.
“I doubt it,” Carroll replied.
“How else is she going to learn?” Carroll asked detectives, who told him that she was a child and it wasn’t his place. “I disagree with you, but then that’s your idea and mine.”
Carroll said what happened was natural.
“If she touches my feet, I don’t consider that sexual. If she touches my penis, it is not considered by me any way to be sexual,” police reports quote him as saying.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 12.