Pennsylvania Woman Arrested After Allegedly Allowing Sex Offender to Sexually Assault Young Girl
A woman who police say allowed a known sex offender to abuse a child has been arrested on suspicion of endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors, and reckless endangerment.
The young girl was abused at a home in Overfield Township, Wyoming County, between June of 2015 and July of 2016, KTLA sister station WNEP in Scranton reported Monday, citing Pennsylvania State Police.
Investigators say Marion Keithline — who is now behind bars — was in a relationship with Eric Popejoy, a registered sex offender, at the time.
In February, police arrested Popejoy on charges including child rape.
According to court papers, the young victim told Keithline and others that Popejoy had raped her, but no one helped.
Courts documents also said that Popejoy and Keithline used Craigslist to advertise for sex partners, and the two would host orgies at the home while the child was present.
“Almost every night there was a different vehicle there and half the time she didn’t come home,” said Darryl Benedict, the suspect’s landlord.
Neighbors say when they learned Popejoy was a sex offender, they watched him closely.
“We watched the kids like crazy, didn’t let them outside to play by themselves. It was hard. It was really hard. My grandkids are here all the time,” neighbor Lisa Haraschak told WNEP. She said the whole thing “makes me sick.”
Popejoy and Keithline won’t be allowed to see the young girl anymore, according to police.
“She was alone a lot. We took her to church on Wednesday nights with us so she could get a little more group and a little more education on that behalf, and she was over here a lot of afternoons and spent time with my wife because she was not taken care of over there,” Benedict said.
Keithline is being held on $15,000 bail, while Popejoy’s bail has been set at $1 million bail.