Jay man accused of molesting 4-year-old

A Jay man was arrested Feb. 21 and charged with felony molestation of a child less that 12 years old following an investigation by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office.

Henry Lee Thompson, 69, 5275 Oil Well Road, was accused of intentionally touching the breast, buttocks and genitals of a 4-year-old girl beginning in 2011 in Jay, according to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office report. A criminal history showed Thompson is a registered sex offender as a result of a conviction out of Virginia. The history showed a failure to register as required-sex offender violation out of Santa Rosa County, the report noted.

The report said the Child Protective Team (CPT) forensic interview of the alleged victim was conducted on Dec. 7, 2018, at the Santa Rosa Kids House, where Case Coordinator Latrelle Tronu and the victim discussed body safety and areas on her body that are good touch and bad touch.

During the discussions, the victim said that when she was 3 and 4 years old, Thompson touched her, the report said. She said the touching took place at Thompson's house and that she had already told somebody about it.

In the interview, the victim drew three circles, one each on the breasts, buttocks and crotch area, on a diagram of the body where she alleged Thompson touched her, according to the report.

On Jan. 23, 2019, the deputy conducted a recorded phone interview of the third party the victim had described the molestation to and that person verified that the victim had disclosed the alleged abuse. It was determined the case worker the third party had told of the alleged abuse was no longer employed with Families First Network. The deputy was able to get a copy of the former employee's notes, which stated she had spoken to the third party, who disclosed that he had heard from the victim about the abuse.

In another phone interview on Feb. 14, the victim stated the sexual abuse happened about 6 or 7 years ago, and she remembered talking to the former case worker about the sexual abuse, the report said.

In a recorded interview at the District 5 Field Office on Jan. 18 and 23, 2018, Thompson stated he hasn't touched any of the alleged victim inappropriately and according to his probation he was to have no contact with any children and again denied any inappropriate touching, according to the report.

In 2017, Thompson was charged with lewd and lascivious molestation out of Santa Rosa County, which resulted in his current probation, according to the report.

Thompson was arrested Feb. 21 and transported to Santa Rosa County Jail and given no bond.