David Nephi Johnson, chairman of the Wasatch County Republican Party, has been charged with first-degree aggravated child abuse stemming from allegations involving his 16-year-old daughter.
According to police and court documents, the teen reported that Johnson, 54, forced her head under water in a bathroom sink for failing to clean her room sufficiently. Authorities allege she was unable to breathe for periods of up to 20 to 30 seconds.
The Utah Division of Child and Family Services participated in the initial investigation.
Johnson was initially held without bail. A judge later set bail at $10,000, which he posted.
At the same time, authorities determined that he posed a credible threat to the alleged victim’s physical safety. As a result, the court issued a pretrial protective order.
The order prohibits him from contacting his daughter or returning to the residence where she lives.
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Immediately following his arrest, the victim was temporarily placed with a different adult relative once the Utah Division of Child and Family Services responded to the incident. Additionally, the other children reportedly have a safety plan in place that “no physical discipline” may be used.
Allegedly, the incident happened after the victim returned from spending time with friends, and Johnson became upset because her room was not “completely clean.” The 16-year-old victim also reportedly told police that there was abuse involving other younger family members, including a similar incident of “waterboarding” several years ago involving a now-8-year-old.
In the day following Johnson’s arrest, the Wasatch County Republican Party released a statement where they said that they are deeply concerned and troubled by the allegations against Johnson. However, they also asked the public to refrain from judgement and stated that all individuals are innocent until proven guilty.
The Utah Democratic Party also issued a statement calling for accountability.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled. The case remains under investigation.
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With a 16 year old, that age between being stupid kid and that of being stupid young person, right from wrong is highly questionable, definance of authority is well known, rules at home are streached, misconceptions of what punishments should be and acceptance acknowledged. I remember having to stand with my hands behind my back and getting slapped across my face multiple times becasuse I didn’t jump on her command. Was that child abuse? What did it teach me, first thing is I wanted to get away from her, second thing was that I would never do it to a child of mine. I have 3 daughters and at times grew very frustrated with them, I never got physically violent with them. even when one snuck out her bedroom window to go out with who ever. Since her bed was right under the window where the screen was removed,. I just laid down on her bed until she came back and opened up the window and stepped on me. My reactions were I closed her window so it would not open until I removed the lock. The girls rooms, basically were there end of the house during their late high school and local college years, I stayed out and let my wife take care of it. Waterboarding, if it happened, is not an appropriate action toward kids.