Young girls celebrating Fourth of July at lake fend off molester by kicking him between the legs, deputies say

SMITHVILLE, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) – Two young girls were able to escape a man who tried to molest them by kicking him between the legs, according to officials.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said the attempted attack happened in Smithville, on the Fourth of July, as the girls were celebrating the holiday at a lake.

In a social media post, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said that Carlos Climaco-Garcia, 26, is in custody on two felony child molestation charges after the incident.

According to court documents, around 8 p.m., two girls under the age of 14 were swimming at the Little Platte Swim Beach in Smithville Lake.

The girls said Climaco-Garcia swam up to them and started asking them personal questions that they didn’t want to answer. They tried to move away from him, but they said he groped them and tried to remove their swimsuit bottoms.

The girls escaped by kicking Climaco-Garcia between the legs, then they got out of the water and told their parents what happened.

The sheriff’s office said it had extra deputies posted at the lake that weekend, so the adults immediately flagged down a nearby deputy.

The girls described Climaco-Garcia to the deputies, and they spotted him getting out of the lake. He was immediately arrested.

He is still in custody on a $75,000 bond that prosecutors have asked to be increased. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.

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