A Big Island man has been charged in the sex assault and drowning of a 5-year-old girl.

Anthony S. Poulin, 30, was scheduled to be arraigned today in South Hilo District Court.

Poulin was being held in the police cellblock in Hilo in lieu of $1 million bail.

Poulin, who is disabled and uses a cane to walk, was charged with second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of abuse of a family/household member.

He was supposed to have been taking care of his girlfriend's daughter, Javienna Win, while his girlfriend was working, police said.

Poulin had lived at an apartment complex in Hilo with the woman and girl for at least several months, police said.

Police Capt. Randall Medeiros said Poulin is accused of drowning the girl in the apartment's bathtub Sunday.

Medeiros said an autopsy found Win died of asphyxiation due to forceful submersion.

Poulin had no criminal record other than a conviction for violating a temporary restraining order held by another girlfriend, Medeiros said.

Poulin called police Sunday afternoon to report that Win had drowned in the apartment bathtub at the Hilo Val-Hala Apartments.

Police said the injuries on the child appeared suspicious and that an hour prior to the drowning, a worried citizen reported a man had grabbed a girl by the hair and slammed her against a cement wall at Shipman Street and Kamehameha Avenue.

Win was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 4:28 p.m. Sunday.

Police held Poulin on Sunday for abuse of a family/household member.

Police ask that anyone with information about this case call Medeiros at 961-2251.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All CrimeStoppers information is kept confidential.