14-year-old may face sex charges

KANNAPOLIS — Police will seek charges against a 14-year-old boy they say sexually molested a 6-year-old girl in a downtown church during the Kannapolis Christmas Parade.

Detective David Miller of the Kannapolis Police Department said the incident occurred about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, as spectators lined the streets around Cannon Village to watch the annual parade.

A woman watching the parade with two grandchildren approached members of First Baptist Church, 101 N. Main St., who were selling concessions and asked if her grandchildren could use the church’s bathrooms, Miller said.

A woman from the church took the children — a boy and a girl — inside and asked the 14-year-old boy to show them to the restrooms, Miller said. The detective said the boy is a church member and was helping the pastor with a project.

After the children finished, the 14-year-old told the little boy to wait and took the girl into the church basement, where he turned out the lights and began to sexually assault her, Miller said.

When the girl began to cry, the older boy stopped, Miller said.

Miller said the 14-year-old did not know the girl. He said the boy admitted guilt in an interview Tuesday night and has been released into the custody of his mother.

The Rev. Tom Cabaniss, pastor of First Baptist, declined to comment except to say the church is cooperating with the police investigation.

The detective said he’ll turn the case over to juvenile authorities, who will determine any charges against the boy. Miller said he will recommend first-degree statutory sex offense, a felony.