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KAYSVILLE — A South Davis Metro firefighter has been charged with multiple counts of child sex abuse for allegedly taking pictures of a 6-year-old autistic girl.
Bradley Dean Freeze, 42, was charged in 2nd District Court with three counts of aggravated sex abuse of a child, a first-degree felony, and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony.
"It come as a huge shock to us," said South Davis Metro Fire Chief Jim Rampton. "The charges are very out of character for him.
Charging documents say the victim, a "high functioning and very verbal" autistic girl, was abused several times between Sept. 1, 2010, and Aug. 3, 2011. Freeze is accused to taking inappropriate pictures of the young girl with his cell phone and having inappropriate contact with her.
The alleged incidents were discovered after the child told her mother what had been happening.
When confronted about taking nude pictures of the girl, Freeze said "he did not know why he had did it, but he deleted it," the charges state.
The girl was later interviewed at the Farmington Children's Justice Center and disclosed that her mother was usually at work when the abuse occurred.
Freeze did not use his position as a firefighter to commit the alleged crimes. He was booked into the Davis County Jail on Saturday.
Kaysville police declined to say much about the case, noting that the investigation is still ongoing. Freeze's cell phone was seized and a search warrant was executed on it, the charges state. It was not known Tuesday if anything was found.
A judge on Monday signed a protective order for the child against Freeze. His next court date is scheduled for Aug. 22.
Email:preavy@ksl.com
