Court: Columbus man denies raping 10-year-old girl
A Columbus man accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl more than five times within the last five years appeared in Recorder’s Court Friday morning.
Defendant Ricky Leathers, 32, pleaded not guilty to rape, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy and more before telling the court he was innocent.
Police said the victim told her school counselor on Feb. 3 that Leathers had sexually assaulted her. That information was shared with the Division of Family and Children Services, which filed a report with the Columbus Police Department on April 7. Four days later, the victim underwent a forensic interview and medical exam with authorities.
The details of the assualt were very graphic. I’ll spare the court most of that.
Columbus detective Jeff Kraus
Columbus detective Jeff Kraus said police are still awaiting the full results of the exam but arrested the defendant on April 13 based on medical findings and the victim’s statement to them at the Children's Treehouse.
“The details of the assault were very graphic. I’ll spare the court most of that,” he said before stating that Leathers had sexually assaulted the girl more than five times since she turned 5 years old, with the first incident having happened in Atlanta and the others in a Columbus residence less than a mile away from Woodruff Road.
Leathers was ordered to return to the Muscogee County Jail after being denied bond on multiple charges. The case was bound over Superior Court.
Sarah Robinson: 706-571-8622, @sarahR_92
This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Court: Columbus man denies raping 10-year-old girl."