A man in Connecticut has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting his 12-year-old stepdaughter before she died.
Us Weekly previously reported that Eve Rogers was found unresponsive by her mother, Melanie Federline, on the morning of March 18. Emergency personnel with the Enfield Police Department responded to the home at 10:25 a.m. and declared Rogers dead at the scene.
A search warrant was then executed on the home, and investigators collected DNA from everyone who lived in the residence.
The Enfield Police Department shared an update in the case in a press release on Friday, April 3, which stated that Rogers’ stepfather, Anthony Federline, was arrested for sexual assault and risk of injury to a child.
Anthony, 39, is being held on a $1,000,000 court-set surety bond, according to the release. He was scheduled to be arraigned at Hartford Superior Court on Monday, April 6.
Rogers was found face down on the floor of her bedroom and her lower body covered by a blanket, according to an arrest warrant obtained by Us Weekly. Police said that blood and fluids were coming out of her nose, while her muscles had started to stiffen.
Melanie told police that she knocked on Rogers’ door to wake her up and had to unlock the door with a butter knife when the child didn’t answer. Rogers was then found face down, and Melanie called Anthony for help.
The mother told police that Rogers had autism and POTS, which is a condition that causes an increased heartbeat when someone stands up.
Police said two pills were found in the room, which included aspirin, per the arrest warrant. The warrant also stated that authorities conducted a sexual assault exam of Rogers and collected DNA from everyone living in the household due to unspecified evidence found at the scene.
Melanie, Anthony and Rogers’ three siblings all complied with police and provided their DNA. However, Anthony reportedly told investigators that having to give his DNA felt like putting “salt in the wound.”
As the investigation continued, authorities determined that Anthony’s DNA matched the sample taken from Rogers’ body. He was then arrested on Thursday, April 2, and was charged with sexual assault and risk of injury to a child. However, Anthony has not been charged in connection to Rogers’ murder.
Following her husband’s arrest, Melanie told CTPost.com on Sunday, April 5, that she was “not aware of any of these allegations, and I’m still trying to understand what’s happening. I’m allowing the legal process to unfold.”
Melanie added that she took the allegations seriously and planned to continue cooperating with authorities amid the investigation.
It is not currently clear if Anthony has retained legal counsel or entered a plea following his arrest.
The Enfield Police Department confirmed to Us that the investigation into the crime remains ongoing.
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