Indiana carnival worker charged with molesting 13-year-old girl at travelling fair

A man working on a travelling carnival in Indiana has been charged with molesting a 13-year-old girl, Porter County Sheriff's Office has said.

Officers and detectives were called out to the fairgrounds around 2am on Friday 28 July about a alleged sexual assault between 24-year-old James Todd, a carnival worker from Florida, and a 13-year-old girl who was also travelling with the carnival and her family.

The Sheriff's Office said that while officers went to attend the first call, another call came in that other carnival workers who had heard of the alleged sexual assault had themselves confronted Todd.

Authorities described the second call as one of a "physical disturbance".

Todd received minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital where he was treated. The Sheriff's Office said he was then taken to Porter County Jail after being charged with Level one felony child molesting.

Although the sheriff's office reported Todd as aged 24, online jail records said he is in fact 25. Authorities said at the time that the Porter County Fair would soon be ending - they reportedly wrapped up on Saturday 29 July, just a day after the incident allegedly took place.