By Andy Sevilla
A Lockhart man, under questioning, told police he sexually assaulted a Hays CISD middle school student after reports of the alleged abuse surfaced at the victim’s school, according to court documents.
Daniel Anthony Thomas, 21, was arrested Dec. 3 and charged with sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony, stemming from the July incident, according to Hays County Jail records.
Thomas’ probable cause affidavit, which was used to secure an arrest warrant from Justice of the Peace Beth Smith, states that a law enforcement officer met with a friend of the victim at a Hays CISD middle school who reported the alleged abuse to officials in November.
The victim’s friend told authorities that the victim confided in her that a family friend, whom she identified only as Daniel, had sexually assaulted her at an event several months prior.
The officer assigned to the case then spoke with the victim’s mother who identified the suspect as Daniel Thomas, and consequently scheduled a forensic interview for the victim, according to the affidavit.
During the forensic interview the victim told investigators that Thomas had touched her inappropriately and had her perform a sexual act on the suspect at an event in July, the affidavit states. The child then told investigators she performed a sexual act on Thomas again in her bedroom at a later date, though the child could not recall that date.
On Nov. 26, investigators met with Thomas at the Kyle Police Department to discuss the allegations against him. That’s when Thomas told police he did have the victim perform a sexual act on him at an event in July, and described the incident much like the victim described it to investigators, according to details in the affidavit.
Thomas, however, told police he and the child only engaged in sexual activity once, and denied the child’s allegation of a second encounter in her bedroom, the affidavit states.
Thomas remained in the Hays County Jail as of Tuesday afternoon and was being held on a $75,000 bond.
