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Man caught by police molesting 5-year-old girl in the back of a vehicle in Indiana

Posted at 6:42 PM, Jan 13, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-13 20:42:52-05

PLAINFIELD — A 26-year-old man is behind bars after police caught him molesting a 5-year-old girl in the back of a vehicle in an apartment complex.

A Plainfield (Indiana) Police Department officer responded to the dead end of a parking lot in the Gladden Farms apartment complex on January 6 around 9:40 p.m. after receiving a tip about a "suspicious vehicle."

According to a probable cause filed against Matthew Woolard by the Hendricks County Prosecutor's Office, the officer found him and a "very young girl" sitting in the backseat of the vehicle. The officer's report states that Woolard was naked from the waist down and was trying to find clothing when the officer shined his light through the window of the vehicle.

Court documents state Woolard initially told the officer he had spilled something on his pants and was trying to change in the back seat, but he later changed his story and admitted to molesting the young girl. He said he had been watching porn on his phone while he was babysitting the girl and had pulled over for an act of self gratification. He said the little girl woke up a short time later and had her take part in what he was doing.

Woolard was arrested and charged with child molestation, public indecency and public nudity.

The Plainfield Police Department believes this is a good reminder of: “When you see something, say something.”

"Had the citizen who called PPD not mentioned it, this may have gone unnoticed," the department said in a press release. "PPD advises that if you or anyone you know has been a victim of a sex crime please report it, and when you see something, say something."

This article was written by Katie Cox for WRTV .