Report: Greencastle man charged with child molesting

A September domestic violence investigation took an unexpected turn and led to Class C felony child molesting charges against a Greencastle man.

While conducting a Sept. 20 investigation, a Putnam County Department of Child Services investigator was told by a minor girl that she had received inappropriate touches from 35-year-old Daniel Cull when she was younger.

The ensuing DCS and Indiana State Police investigation led the Putnam County Prosecutor’s Office to file the Class C felony child molesting charge against Cull.

The girl told investigators that Cull had touched her inappropriately once when she was approximately six years old and again on two or three occasions when she was 11 or 12.

Cull’s wife told investigators that the girl had reported her “bottom hurting” when she was five or six years old, indicating there had been inappropriate contact with Cull.

Confronted by his wife, Cull denied the allegations.

The events involved in the current charge allegedly happened when the girl was 11 or 12. She told investigators it always began with Cull pretending to tickle her.

She alleged he would then take off her clothes, down to her bra and underwear, and touch her chest and sometimes the outside of her underwear.

In an interview with investigators, Cull recalled one occasion when he went into the girl’s bedroom as she was trying on new clothes. He said the girl was in her bra and panties when he grabbed her to tickle her.

Cull said that in the process of grabbing the girl, he intentionally touched her vaginal area over her panties.

“Cull knew his contact with her vaginal area was ‘wrong’ and he quickly removed his hand,” ISP Det. Don Curtis reported in the probable cause affidavit.

Curtis said that after his admission, Cull became emotional and produced a photo of the girl.

Cull told Curtis he only touched the girl’s vaginal area once.

Investigators believe the crimes were committed three or four years ago, between September 2012 and September 2013. As such, the alleged crime is charged under the old Indiana felony structure.

A Class C felony is punishable by between two and eight years in prison, with an advisory sentence of four years. A fine of up to $10,000 could also be associated with a guilty verdict.

Putnam Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges issued an arrest warrant for Cull on Wednesday.

Cull will be due for an initial hearing in Putnam Superior Court once he is in police custody.