A Carthage resident is behind bars facing charges of statutory rape.
Newton County Jail arrest reports show Troy A. Klein, 21, was arrested Monday, July 22 by Union Police Department. He is charged with three counts of statutory rape.
Union Police Chief Billy Pat Walker said Klein, who is originally from Louisiana, has a primary residence in Carthage but has been staying in Union, is accused of raping two underage victims.
Walker said he could not release any further details as the investigation is still underway. However, he said UPD expects to bring further charges as the investigation progresses.
Klein had not been released as of Monday. He remains in Newton County Jail.
According to statistics compiled by Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, a nonprofit organization aimed at combatting sexual assault in America, more than 50,000 children are victims of sexual abuse each year. To help combat this, they offer the following tips to parents and guardians:
●• Show interest in their day-to-day lives.
• ●Know the people in your child’s life.
●• Choose caregivers carefully.
•●Talk about the media. When incidents of sexual abuse are covered by news or portrayed on television, use that to start a conversation with your child.
●• Encourage children to speak up.
In 2015, Mississippi adopted a Mandatory Reporter law which states, “any attorney, physician, dentist, intern, resident, nurse, psychologist, social worker, family protection worker, family protection specialist, child caregiver, minister, law enforcement officer, public or private school employee or any other person having reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a neglected child or an abused child, shall cause an oral report to be made immediately by telephone or otherwise and followed as soon thereafter as possible by a report in writing to the Department of Human Services…”
Failure to report abuse can result in a $5,000 fine and up to 1 year in jail.
Anyone suspecting abuse can call the state 24-hour hotline, 800-222-8000 to make a report. If the child is in immediate danger, call 911.
