Charges held in alleged attack on child
A Canton Township man was ordered to stand trial Monday on charges stemming from an alleged attempted assault against a 12-year-old girl at a Washington home last month.
Christopher M. Holiday, 21, appeared before District Judge Robert Redlinger Monday for a preliminary hearing Monday.
Redlinger held charges of attempted rape of a child, indecent assault of a person under 13 and indecent exposure for Washington County court of common pleas.
The victim – one of two witnesses called by the prosecution – said Holiday grabbed her in the kitchen of her home May 25 and tried to sexually assault her before Yarbrough, who also lives at the home, walked into the room.
Yarbrough, 25, testified he separated Holiday from the victim and began “beating on” Holiday.
He said Holiday said “sorry” multiple times during that confrontation, and Yarbrough told the girl’s father about the alleged assault when he came into the kitchen from the living room.
During cross-examination, Renee Colbert, Holiday’s attorney, pointed out Yarbrough did not report the alleged attack to police. Yarbrough said the victim’s father wanted them to “calm down” immediately following the incident.
Her father reported the alleged attack to city police May 27.
Colbert said following the hearing she plans to file a writ of habeas corpus seeking dismissal of the charges.
“I think this is a case where we have inconsistent testimony, clearly,” she said. “We also don’t have testimony to some of the allegations.”
Assistant District Attorney Adam Yarussi said there was “clear consistency” between the accounts Yarbrough and the victim gave.
Holiday is being held in Washington County jail on $25,000 bond.
Yarbrough is also in jail on aggravated assault and other charges stemming from an alleged attack against Holiday on June 6, when police said was motivated by the attempted sexual assault on the girl.