A child hid under blankets from her attacker, but the sex abuse lasted for 2 years, cops say

A 40-year-old man had his first appearance in Recorder’s Court on Thursday, charged with numerous sex crimes involving an 8-year-old girl, who was 6 at the time.

Detective Virginia Duncan testified in the case involving Juan Tiznado-Gonzalez, who is charged with aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sex battery and rape.

On Nov. 11, Columbus police officers were dispatched to a home on the 300 block of 46th Street in Columbus. Upon arrival, according to Duncan, officers talked to a worker from the Muscogee County Department of Family and Children Services Office who was made aware of something the victim had told a teacher at an area elementary school. Duncan testified that the victim told a teacher that her mother’s boyfriend, later identified as Tiznado-Gonzalez, was touching her inappropriately.

On Dec. 4, a forensics interview was conducted with police and the victim. Duncan testified that the victim said the incidents had been occurring since she was 6 years old.

According to the victim, Duncan testified, the incidents would happen only at night and occurred at both her mother’s residence and Tiznado-Gonzalez’s residence. The victim said that she would try to tuck the blankets around her tightly so Tiznado-Gonzalez couldn’t get to her, but he still would.

Duncan testified that the victim said she would be touched by Tiznado-Gonzalez night after night and also would be penetrated both vaginally and anally by his fingers and his penis. After once such incident, the victim’s mother found out that this was going on when she found tissue in her daughter’s underwear.

The mother soon got Columbus police involved after confronting Tiznado-Gonzalez about the incident. Duncan testified that both her and Detective Mark Scruggs made multiple attempts to contact Tiznado-Gonzalez, but were never successful.

On April 9, U.S. Marshall’s were able to locate him in Harrisonburg, Virginia and bring him back to the area. Judge Julius Hunter bound all of his charges over to Superior Court with no bond.

A condition of Tiznado-Gonzalez’s bond is that he have no contact with the child.

This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 3:43 PM.