Bullying man accused of abusing child in park

MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man has been charged with felony child abuse after he allegedly sexually abused a child near a park on Grand Avenue in Moberly Monday evening.

David Wyatt, 51, of Moberly, was charged Tuesday with child kidnapping and two counts of third-degree child abuse of a child under 14 years old. He is being held in the Randolph County Jail on a $150,000 bond. A court date has not been set.

According to a press release from the Moberly Police Department, police were called to a report of child abuse and kidnapping in the 300 block of Grand Avenue and Wyatt was arrested. A probable cause statement filed by police said a juvenile said they were walking when a man they didn’t know – Wyatt – approached them.

Wyatt allegedly asked to take the child for a walk and borrow a lighter, the statement said. Wyatt allegedly dragged the teen to the park and sexually assaulted him after the fall, the statement said.

Wyatt allegedly followed the child to a store and the teen said they were going to the bathroom and told Wyatt to wait outside, the statement said. The child allegedly told the store manager that he had been attacked, at which point the store manager locked the store door and called police, court documents say.

Police found Wyatt, who allegedly admitted to the attack and claimed he didn’t know the child’s age, the statement said. Wyatt allegedly told police he tried to enter the store but left after learning the door was locked.