MH man accused of sexually assaulting underage relative

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A Mountain Home man is accused of inappropriately touching an underage relative and sending her online messages. Thirty-five-year-old David Smith was booked into the Baxter County Detention Center Saturday afternoon on a misdemeanor count of fourth-degree sexual assault.

According to the probable cause affidavit, a sexual assault complaint was filed in the early part of summer. The complainant accused his cousin, identified as Smith, of touching his daughter inappropriately at a family get-together on Memorial Day. The complainant also said Smith was sending his daughter inappropriate messages through Facebook Messenger.

The victim was interviewed two days later at Grandma’s House Child Advocacy Center in Harrison. She said she was swinging on a tire swing at the get-together, and Smith came from behind and started pushing her on the swing. She then made the same accusations her father made in the complaint. She also stated she blocked Smith so he wouldn’t send any more messages over the messenger, but he allegedly started using his wife’s messenger account.

The next day, Smith was interviewed at the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office. He claimed he didn’t really touch the victim inappropriately, but he only put his hands on her to stop the tire swing.

Smith reportedly admitted to sending the messages to the victim. He admitted the messages sound bad, but he didn’t mean anything by them, and he was just “messing” with the victim.

Smith is free on a $1,000 bond, and he is scheduled to appear in Baxter County Circuit Court.

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