Babysitter Had Sexual Contact With Girl, Police Say

Police arrested a Springdale man they say began a sexual relationship with a girl he was babysitting.

Rene Garcia, 27, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sexual indecency with a child. He remained in the Washington County Detention Center on Thursday on $10,000 bond.

Springdale police said Garcia began looking after a 13-year-old girl at his house while her mother worked on Saturdays. The girl’s mom later noticed her daughter with a cell phone. The mom checked the phone and saw a message from Garcia that implied he had had sex with the girl, according to a preliminary report from the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office.

The girl told her mom she and Garcia were in love and begged the mom not to tell police, the report states.

The mother approached police, and detectives later discovered sexual images and videos of Garcia, according to the report. Garcia later admitted to detectives he and the girl engaged in sexual activity, police said.