33-year-old Joshua Xavier Barden, of Vandergrift, is in jail for allegedly raping a young child in Porter Township. According to the Punxsutawney Spirit, State Police charged him with multiple felonies, including rape of a child.
The incidents reportedly occurred multiple times between 2021 and 2022, when the victim was around six to seven years old. The investigation began on March 18 after the now nine-year-old victim reported the abuse. During a forensic interview, the child detailed inappropriate touching and being told to keep it a secret.
Barden reportedly admitted to a known female that he was scared of facing prison time and claimed the incidents were accidental.
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