A Grandview man has been charged with sexually abusing two girls while providing childcare for them, according to documents filed in Jackson County court on Friday.
A man named Matthew Bales, aged 35, is currently facing charges related to attempted statutory sodomy and child molestation involving a child under 12, as stated in court records. For privacy reasons, the court records did not disclose the names of the children due to their ages.
Based on court documents, the children informed police detectives that during their time swimming at Blue River Park, Bales engaged in inappropriate touching of their genitals.
During the summer, Bales would frequently spend Thursdays at home, caring for his two daughters and bringing them to nearby lakes, parks, and swimming pools. According to court documents, the assaults occurred during some of these trips, but were not limited to them.
According to court documents, one of the victims bravely confided in her mother about the assaults after spending the day with Bales on Aug. 1. This prompted both children to share what had happened. According to the victims, they experienced unwanted sexual touching by Bales while swimming in Little Blue River in Jackson County earlier that day.
According to court documents, one of the victims has reported multiple instances of assault and molestation that began several years ago.
The victims were able to meet with Grandview police detectives and forensic investigators at Children’s Mercy Hospital in the afternoon. The Grandview Police Department then enlisted the help of the Kansas City Police Department in their investigation.
As reported by the Kansas City Star, an arrest warrant for Bales was prepared on August 2nd.
Bales had a prior stint in Jackson County jail, serving 30 days following a guilty plea for domestic assault in June. In 2006, court records show that he faced charges of misdemeanor assault and battery in Kansas, as well as illegal possession of a firearm.
Bales faced additional charges of assault in Kansas in 2008, and later in 2013, he was charged with a third assault and a domestic battery.
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