BELLA VISTA (KFSM) — A Bella Vista couple won’t face criminal charges as part of a child sexual abuse case from last fall, according to Benton County Prosecutor Nathan Smith.
Douglas and Tamy Pershing were arrested in September 2017 after a 4-year-old girl said Douglas Pershing, 54, let her touch him inappropriately on about 20 different occasions, according to court documents.
Smith said the victim’s parents didn’t want their daughter to testify or talk about the alleged incident, which prevented the case from proceeding.
The law doesn’t allow the prosecutor to move forward without her testimony, Smith said.
The girl’s parents said Wednesday (June 20) state laws should be strengthened for sexual abuse victims, adding “we as as parents want to fight for justice but will not do it at the expense of our young children.”
