Feb 25, 2003 By Jennifer Harr 1 min read

A Point Marion man charged with sexually assaulting a 2-year-old last summer, rejected a plea deal Monday that would have put him behind bars for 10 to 20 years. Robert Eugene Sapp, 24, of 209 S. Water St. instead opted to take his case to trial in Fayette County Court.

He is charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated assault, aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and indecent assault.

Sapp allegedly abused the toddler while other children slept inside around 3 a.m. on July 30. He was watching the children, according to police. When Sapp’s wife and another woman arrived home around 3:45 a.m., the 2-year-old girl would not stop crying and the Sapps decided to take the girl to Uniontown Hospital.

A doctor there found that the girl suffered internal tears and said the injuries were consistent with sexual assault. The child underwent surgery at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Tests concluded that the toddler’s skin cells were on a semen stain on Sapp’s underwear, said police.

Police said they interviewed Sapp three times, but he never explained how the girl was injured.