GREENFIELD — A Greenfield man faces a child molest charge in Tippecanoe County amid allegations he harmed a girl there, causing injuries including cuts, bruising and bleeding.
The family of the victim told police Seth McCullough, 37, stayed at their home for several days in mid-December. They made a spot for the man to sleep on the floor in the living room.
But one morning they awoke to find McCullough lying in bed with their young daughter, who is 4 years old, according to court documents.
The child came to her parents crying and complaining of “ouchies,” court document state.
They rushed the little girl to the hospital, where doctor examined her and discovered cuts on her body, blood on her clothing and discoloration around her ears and eyes. The child was taken to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis for further care.
The girl told investigators a “boy” came into her bedroom during the night and hurt her, court documents state. She described how the person assaulted her, and said her attacker choked her by putting his hand around her throat, court documents state.
She told investigators the boy who hurt her was McCullough — the man her parents found asleep in bed, court documents state.
Police questioned McCullough. He admitted to sleeping in the child’s bedroom but denied having harmed her, according to court documents.
Prosecutors in Tippecanoe County charged McCullough with one Level 1 felony count of child molest. He has pleaded not guilty.
Police discovered McCullough was out of bond from an unrelated case when the incident occurred, according to court documents.
McCullough is also known by the alias Seth Lukasha, who faces counts of carrying a handgun without a license, possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana in a case in Decatur County. Those charges were filed in October, and the defendant posted bond to be released from jail. Now, prosecutors in Decatur County are looking to revoke that bond, records show.
McCullough remains in the Tippecanoe County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond, records show. A tentative jury trial date for his case in Tippecanoe County has been set for May.
There are no active cases Seth McCullough or Seth Lukasha in Hancock County.