Longview man accused of molesting a child in 2017

LONGVIEW, Wash. - A Longview man was arrested last week for allegedly molesting a child while he was babysitting for a family in 2017, according to court documents.

Christopher Michael Carron, 35, of Longview is out on a $5,000 bail after being arrested on July 5. He is awaiting his arraignment hearing, scheduled for July 20 via Zoom at the Cowlitz County Hall of Justice in Kelso.

A public defender has been appointed to represent Carron.

Officers apprehended Carron after a person close to the victim’s family notified the Woodland Police Department on June 6, alleging Carron sexually assaulted their 12-year-old child when they lived in Woodland sometime in December of 2017.

Under the conditions of his release, Carron must report to the Offender Services Division, obey all laws and make no efforts to contact any minors.

On July 6, Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Marilyn Haan issued a no-contact order, meaning Carron must keep a distance of at least 100 yards away from the victim at all times and make no effort to communicate with them either.

The victim, who was 7 years old at the time of the alleged encounter and who is now living in California, sat down with local police for a forensic interview, during which they allege Carron touched them below the waist after he asked the child to sit on his lap.

The probable cause statement reported that the victim recalls Carron’s hands being cold during his alleged assault and that the incident occurred while the victim was watching television in the family’s living room.

The victim’s father told authorities that Carron babysat both of his children at least three to four times a week while they lived in Woodland and that the accused would often pick up the victim from the school bus, spending hours alone together until a parent arrived home from work, the document states.