Greenwood man arrested for molesting 8-year-old girl

GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) – A Greenwood man was arrested for molesting an 8-year-old girl at Brown County State Park in 2015.

According to 24-Hour News 8’s partners The Brown County Democrat, 68-year-old William Zimmerman was arrested.

The victim, her father and mother identified Zimmerman as the suspect to the Greenwood Police Department.

According to a probable-cause affidavid, the incident was brought up when the girl’s sister told her aunt about it, and then the aunt them told the victim’s mother.

Police said the girl told officers she woke up around midnight in Zimmerman’s camper and he was molesting her. She said she knew it was him because she could smell his stench and recognized a hat he wears.

The girl said she ran out of Zimmerman’s camper after he went to bed and went to a tent where her aunt, uncle and sister were sleeping.

She told police she didn’t tell them what happened because she was worried they wouldn’t believe her, according to a report.

The girl’s aunt said she remembers her waking her up and asked to be taken to the bathroom. She said she remembers it seeming odd since Zimmerman’s camper had a bathroom.

The aunt told police the girl told her she didn’t use the camper’s bathroom because she was afraid to go in the camper. She also said the girl wanted to go home during the camping tip, which is something she had never done before.

The girl told police about another incident at Zimmerman’s home, and times leading up to the first alleged incident when Zimmerman showed interest in her, the report said.

Zimmerman was charged with sexual conduct with a child under the age of 14.

The was arrested and transported into the Brown County Jail on Oct. 14 at 8 a.m. He was released on bond that evening.