NEW CASTLE, Ind. — A man was charged with two counts of child molestation on Thursday. Police said the victim was a 13-year-old whom he had texted with regarding sexual encounters.
According to the New Castle Police Department, officers were called to a New Castle home at an undisclosed Brown Street address around 4:55 p.m. on a report that Charles South, 57, sent explicit text messages to the victim. NCPD said it was unclear how long these messages had been occurring, as many of them were deleted.
Upon further investigation, one of the victim's parents did not want to speak to law enforcement due to not wanting to get South in trouble. However, the release said they were able to tell officers where the 13-year-old might be.
The victim was located at an area elementary school, where a parent later met them. According to the victim, medical treatment was not needed because "nothing physical had occurred [that day]".
Now, South faces two counts of child molesting, a Level One felony. If he is convicted, he could face up to 40 years behind bars.