Trial continues in alleged sexual assault
A jury of eight women and four men watched recordings of interviews conducted by investigators with two young girls regarding sexual assault allegations against an Adah man.
Those recorded interviews kicked off a second day of testimony in Fayette County court Wednesday in the trial of Scott Alan Widener, whom police allege sexually assaulted the children at a home in German Township last year.
Widener, 42, is charged with aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault for allegedly inappropriately touching a girl who was 4 years old at the time and another count of indecent assault for his alleged behavior with another girl, who was 6 years old at the time.
Both girls were in his care when the alleged incidents occurred, according to arresting officer Trooper Heather Clem-Johnston.
The Herald-Standard does not identify the victims of alleged sexual assault.
On Tuesday, after the children were unable to testify before Judge Steve P. Leskinen regarding the allegations, Sarah Johnson, a forensic examiner who interviewed the children, testified that the younger girl disclosed that Widener had allegedly touched her inappropriately and said that he told the child not to tell her mother.
The older of the two children, according to Johnson’s testimony, also allegedly disclosed that Widener had touched her in “a private spot” and that he did the same to the other alleged victim.
“(The alleged victim) was very specific,” Johnson testified, in describing what occurred.
Johnson told the jury that because the child gave a spontaneous disclosure and provided details, “It seemed like a very credible interview.”
When Assistant Public Defender Michael J. Garofalo objected, Leskinen pointed out that it is the jury’s task is to determine credibility.
Johnson also testified that at some point the older girl recanted, saying Widener didn’t touch her, only the other girl.
“It wouldn’t be uncommon for a child to do a little back-pedaling,” Johnson told the court.
After that exchange during the prior day’s testimony, Assistant District Attorney Mark Mehalov, on Wednesday, played DVDs of the interviews conducted by Johnson for the jury to review.
In the video of the interview with the younger victim, the child can be heard telling Johnson at different times, “He touched us four times,” “After I was asleep I woke up, and I felt him touching me” and “he said ‘Don’t tell your mommy I touched you.'”
Additionally, some of the statements by the children in the video indicated possible sexual contact with several other people who were determined to be other children under the ages of 10.
Testimony was also offered by Jamie Shaffer of Fayette County Children and Youth Services, who told the court that, when she asked one of the victims if she knew why she was being interviewed, the child said because “Scott touched me in a bad way.”
However, under cross-examination by Garofalo, the entire statement from the child was disclosed as, “Grandma called CYS because Scott touched me in a bad way.”
Testimony continued with the mother of one of the alleged victims, as well as the grandmother of both alleged victims.
Each woman testified that she and other female family members had been involved in relationships with Widener.
Trial will resume today at 9:30 a.m. before Leskinen.