A 72-year-old man in Illinois who stands accused of sexually abusing a wheelchair-bound child has been released pending his trial.
The suspect is identified as John G. Finch of Antioch, the Lake and McHenry County Scanner reported Tuesday. The outlet noted an appeals court overturned a judge’s initial decision in the case and ordered the man to be cut loose.
An image shows the man accused of targeting the child who was under 13 years old:
An appeals court has overturned a judge's decision and ordered an Antioch man released pending trial after he was accused of sexually abusing a young wheelchair-bound child. https://t.co/kVJ0mKP48Y
— Lake & McHenry County Scanner (@LMCScanner) January 16, 2024
In October, authorities charged the suspect with a single count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child.
According to Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris, several families were at Finch’s home to celebrate a dog’s birthday in February when the alleged incident happened. He is reportedly not related to the victim in the case.
“The victim and a second child were alone in a room eating ice cream when Finch entered with a beer in his hand, Katris said,” the Scanner report continued. “Katris said the two children reported that Finch told them they were ‘cute and sexy’ and were going to ‘get all of the boys in school.'”
During the incident, the suspect allegedly rubbed the victim’s shoulders and put his hand under her bra. Meanwhile, the other child in the room claimed the man, who is a grandfather to five, pulled down the young victim’s bra strap.
Once prosecutors petitioned to hold Finch, Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak granted their request to detain him until his trial in October.
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Illinois State Police / YouTubeHowever, the Illinois Second District Appellate Court issued an order in December after Finch appealed the ruling, and the appeals court later ordered a hearing regarding the case.
“During that hearing, prosecutors said they would not be appealing the appeals court’s ruling overturning the detention order,” the outlet noted. It also said Potkonjak released the suspect from jail.
He has since been ordered not to have any contact with the victim in the case nor any other children in the community.
According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) website, “Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse that includes sexual activity with a minor. A child cannot consent to any form of sexual activity, period.”
“When a perpetrator engages with a child this way, they are committing a crime that can have lasting effects on the victim for years,” the site reads.
One way to reduce the risk for such abuse is for adults to “make sure interactions with children can be observed and interrupted. Choose group situations when possible,” the Darkness to Light – End Child Sexual Abuse organization advises.
