Tot’s father charged in taped sex assaults
The alleged acts on his baby daughter draw a 14-count indictment
An Oahu grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging a 30-year-old Honokai Hale man with sexually assaulting his infant daughter and videotaping the assaults.
Danny Friddle is charged with eight counts of sexual assault in the first degree, three counts of sexual assault in the third degree and three counts of promoting child abuse in the first degree.
Friddle remains in custody at Oahu Community Correctional Center.
Circuit Judge Derrick Chan confirmed bail yesterday at $100,000.
Because the defendant is the parent, guardian or someone who had physical or legal custody of the child, the state Family Court has jurisdiction in the case.
All the proper authorities are involved, and the child is safe, said Douglas Chin, first deputy prosecutor. He said the charges involve a baby who was less than a year old at the time of the alleged assaults.
"There's something that's very horrible and depressing just to think that those charges are even something that's brought forth in our community," said Chin.
According to the indictment, the charges are from two separate periods: June 26 to Sept. 30, 2006, and Oct. 1, 2006, to March 10.
Honolulu police initiated the case against Friddle after a woman turned in two videotapes of Friddle allegedly assaulting an infant. The woman told police she found the tapes in a plastic bag at a bus stop on Kalena Drive in Kalihi Valley. Police said Friddle's work identification was also in the bag.
At the time of his arrest March 12, Friddle had some outstanding traffic warrants, Chin said.