Chatsworth man charged Wednesday with child molestation, sexual assault
DBell@CalhounTimes.com
A Chatsworth man was arrested by Gordon County Sheriff’s Office deputies Wednesday on charges related to child molestation after a runaway juvenile toward authorities the man had sexually assaulted her in the past.
According to GSCO and jail records, Scotty Dewayne Boatwright, 44, of 127 Eagles Way, Chatsworth, was charged with aggravated sexual battery, child molestation, battery, and cruelty to children in the first degree, all in violation of the Family Violence Act.
The investigation began Friday, Aug. 28, after Boatwright and the victim’s mother called Gordon 911 in reference to a runaway juvenile. They told the responding deputy that the victim had runaway after being “paddled” for smoking marijuana and that she was at her boyfriend’s house in Gordon County. The deputy found the victim at the home visibly upset, barely able to speak, and with hand prints and red marks on her face. The victim reported that she had been spanked by smacked by Boatwright and that he had sexually assaulted her in the past.
An adult witness at the location confirmed to investigators that the victim had told her about the previous assault about four weeks earlier and that they had went to the victim’s mother about it but that no additional action was taken at that time. The witness told a deputy that the victim’s mother responded, “some families do things different.”
Boatwright and the victim’s mother both stated that the victim was only seeking attention and upset because she was not allowed to see her boyfriend after getting into trouble. The mother told deputies she had smacked the victim and that Boatwright had spanked the victim.
The victim was released to the custody of a family friend while authorities investigated the allegations. Boatwright was arrested Wednesday, five days after the initial event.