Police have announced the arrest of a man in central California who is suspected of sexually assaulting a juvenile and slashing the child’s throat in the laundry room of an apartment complex earlier this month.
Arthur Dean Knapp, 40, is currently in custody at the Madera County jail, facing multiple charges such as rape and attempted murder, according to jail records. On August 1st, authorities in Chowchilla, a small city located about 40 miles northwest of Fresno, apprehended Knapp on the very same day the crime was reported.
During a press conference held by Chowchilla Police Chief Jeff Palmer, Knapp was identified as the suspect. This announcement came shortly after Knapp had been formally indicted.
A violent incident occurred in a communal laundry room within a residential complex in Chowchilla.
According to Palmer, the attack was characterized as a crime of opportunity. Knapp, who was not a resident of the apartment, had no known prior relationship with the victim.
Following the sexual assault, Knapp allegedly inflicted a severe injury to the juvenile’s throat and abandoned the young person, believing them to be deceased. After the victim regained consciousness, the child promptly notified the authorities and received necessary treatment and surgery at a nearby children’s hospital, as stated by Palmer.
According to Palmer, investigators were able to establish a connection between Knapp and the crime by gathering witness statements and analyzing DNA evidence from a rape kit provided to the U.S. Department of Justice. Police officials confirmed on Tuesday that the young victim is in the process of recovering from the injuries sustained in the attack and is expected to survive.
If found guilty, Knapp could potentially be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to Madera County District Attorney Sally Moreno.
Knapp faces charges of parole violations and assault with a deadly weapon, in addition to other serious offenses.
In addition, Moreno noted that Knapp has previous offenses on his record, which could potentially lead to a more severe sentence.
Knapp was arraigned in court on Tuesday and entered a plea of not guilty to the indictment. This is a standard procedure in the criminal justice process. According to online court records, he has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Aug. 23.