Child, defendant both testify in sex-abuse case
Prosecutors claim Kevin Skowron sexually assaulted a 4-year-old child last year at the Palatine YMCA "for the excitement and the possibility of getting caught."
Skowron claims he did nothing of the kind and only signed a statement that he touched the girl because Palatine police told him he could go home if he did.
"I was under the assumption when police talk to you, they tell you the truth," said Skowron, of the 1800 block of West Ashbury Lane in Inverness.
Testimony by the principals - the 23-year-old defendant and his now-5-year-old accuser - bookended the second day of Skowron's trial on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault.
The composed kindergarten student testified quietly Tuesday about the "bad thing" she said Skowron did to her on the morning of Nov. 28, 2008, during a swim lesson at Palatine's Buehler YMCA.
"I couldn't comprehend what she was saying," the girl's mother testified, describing how her daughter stood before her dripping wet, pointed behind her in the direction of Skowron and accused him of touching her under her swim suit.
Under cross examination from defense attorney Tim Murphy, the girl's mother admitted she did not observe anyone touch her daughter inappropriately during the swim lesson. She also acknowledged that the couple filed a civil lawsuit earlier this year against the YMCA, but insisted financial gain was not their objective.
"We are not doing this for the money, that is for sure," she said.
The mother said she reported the incident first to a YMCA manager and then to her husband, who by that time had arrived to drop their other child off for a gymnastics lesson. After learning of the alleged assault, the father found Skowron near the pool and punched him in the nose, knocking him to the pool deck, authorities said.
Later that day, the parents took their daughter to the Children's Advocacy Center in Hoffman Estates, where staff members conduct interviews with and provide support for abuse victims. Following the interview, the parents took the girl to Northwest Community Hospital for a medical exam.
Northwest Community pediatric emergency physician Meta Carroll testified she believed the girl was "acutely sexually assaulted." Carroll based her opinion on a physical exam coupled with the girls' spontaneous outcry to her mother and her clingy, quiet behavior during the exam.
Under cross examination, however, Carroll acknowledged that while the injuries were "consistent with acute sexual assault" they were not specific. Taken alone, the injuries could have resulted from other causes including allergies, infection or poor hygiene, but in conjunction with other evidence, they pointed toward sexual abuse, Carroll said.
Palatine detective Chad Ericksen testified that during a midafternoon interview on the day of the incident, Skowron admitted touching the girl but "contended it was an accident." Skowron later admitted touching the girl saying, he "did it for the excitement and the possibility of getting caught," Ericksen said.
Under cross examination, Ericksen acknowledged he did not interview any other students or parents present at the time of the incident. Murphy seemed to suggest that amounted to a less-than-thorough investigation. Questioned about that by Assistant State's Attorney Mike Gerber, Ericksen explained that there were no other witnesses.
Ericksen also denied that he asked Skowron questions specifically designed to elicit a confession.
"I wanted him to tell me the truth," Ericksen said.
Tuesday's proceedings concluded with a withering cross examination by Gerber during which Skowron insisted the statement he gave Assistant State's Attorney Melissa Meana was not true.
An incredulous Gerber asked Skowron if he really believed he'd be allowed to go home after confessing to molesting a little girl.
"I didn't go home because I signed that confession and I regret it to this day," Skowron said. "It wasn't me."
Closing arguments begin at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Rolling Meadows courtroom 109.