Thursday, March 28, 2024
39.0°F

Man accused of groping granddaughters

by KAYE THORNBRUGH
Staff Writer | December 8, 2020 1:00 AM

POST FALLS — A man is in jail on $50,000 bail after he was accused of molesting his teen granddaughters.

The 72-year-old Post Falls man is charged with sexual abuse of a child and sexual battery of a minor, both felonies.

The charges stem from late September, when the man’s two teen granddaughters reportedly stayed with him at his residence.

One of the teens reportedly said her grandfather groped her breasts over her shirt. She sent her mother a text message describing the incident the same day, according to court documents.

In a separate incident during the same period, the other teen allegedly said her grandfather put his hands under her shirt and touched her breasts.

She reportedly told her parents about the incident several weeks later, at which point the parents cut off contact between the teens and their grandfather.

The man’s doctor reportedly tipped off Post Falls police in late November after the man disclosed the incident to him.

When questioned by police, the man initially said he did not remember touching his granddaughters as they described, according to court documents. He allegedly said he was trying to read the words printed on their sweatshirts and pulled the fabric taut in order to do so.

Judge Clark Peterson issued a warrant for the man’s arrest on Dec. 4 and issued a no contact order between the man and his granddaughters. Police arrested him the same day.

Judge Peterson ordered Monday that the man be held on $50,000 bail.

The Press is not naming the suspect because that would reveal the identity of the victims. The Press tries to protect the privacy of victims.