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WEST VALLEY CITY -- The teenager first heralded as a hero, is now charged with kidnapping, sexually abusing and assaulting a 6-year-old West Valley girl.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office charged the 17-year-old Monday and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The teen initially told investigators that on Sept. 11 he heard the girl crying while taking a break from mowing his lawn and saw her bleeding on the other side of his fence. He then told his sister and a neighbor.
The neighbor found the girl unconscious and bleeding. She eventually opened her eyes, but was going in and out of consciousness. She was flown to Primary Children's Medical Center in serious condition but has since been released.
But according to charging documents, during a second interview with West Valley City police, the teen admitted to luring the girl into his backyard, pushing her to the ground and choking her until she was unconscious. He said he choked her because he, quote: "wanted her to sleep or something."
Prosecutors say the teen then sexually assaulted the girl before throwing her over the backyard fence.
Charing documents say the teen had bloody scratch marks on his mouth and neck and a cut on his right knee. They also say the teen confessed to detectives, saying, "Tell the little girl I am sorry for what I did to her."
Investigators spoke to the teen again early last week and shortly after his father spoke to KSL News.
"It's been traumatic, you know? West Valley police have to do their job and took us all in. It was an ordeal to be uptown treating him as the No. 1 subject instead of the hero," Don Bullock said then.
He also indicated both his son and 16-year-old daughter are mentally challenged.
After the teen was arrested last week, the girl's parents said they want him tried as an adult.
"He is most definitely not the hero. He is the suspect," the girls mother said. "We just hope that he is brought to justice."
Prosecutors say they could ask the juvenile court judge to bind this case over to adult court.
KSL News talked to the girl's father on the phone Monday. He said he's just glad the teen is locked up and has been charged.
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Story compiled with contributions from Sandra Yi and Marc Giauque.
