A second Arkansan has been charged with raping a 3-year-old boy after investigators learned a 21-year-old woman was an accomplice in the sexual abuse, according to a news release.
On July 31, the Stone County sheriff’s office was told about the sexual abuse of the toddler committed by 21-year-old Mark Wayne Martin II of Stone County, a probable cause affidavit states.
Martin was interviewed by an investigator and admitted to sexually assaulting the child, according to the affidavit. The 21-year-old said he would commit the crimes while watching the boy when the boy's parents went to work, the affidavit says.
Martin was charged with two counts of rape and one count of sexual indecency with a child, all felonies.
Last week, investigators were told that a woman, 21-year-old Gadel Shai Bigham of Batesville, was an accomplice in the sexual abuse, according to a Tuesday news release.
When interviewed, Bigham confessed to helping Martin rape and sexually assault the 3-year-old and said she warned a witness against saying anything, the release stated.
Bigham was charged with two counts of rape, intimidating a witness and accomplice to a criminal offense.
She and Martin are both being held at the Stone County jail in lieu of $100,000 bonds.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
