According to a probable cause affidavit recently filed by James O’Malley, a police officer with the Worthington Police Department, a string of soap opera style allegations ensued after a married couple videotaped their bedroom fun with the wife’s sister in a consensual threesome on one recent night. After watching the video, police stated that the “sexual video depicts [the sister-in-law] laughing and participating sexually with [the married couple]. There are no indications of force or threats toward [the sister-in-law] or unwillingness by [the sister-in-law] to participate.”
Amid the varying stories, allegations of rape and threats of violence, incestuous sisters, a potential suicide attempt, and a homemade sex video, two things are certain: (1.) an innocent child incurred multiple injuries, and (2.) the sexual trio of adults have all been arrested and charged with various crimes. But with all the twists and turns in this, let us rewind the story to the beginning:
On April 1st, 2021, at approximately 5:45AM, the Greene County Sheriff Dispatch assigned Deputy Aerne and Goad to a suicidal subject call in Worthington. Upon arrival, the deputies met with a resident, Charles Philpot, who said his sister-in-law, Julia Egan, was having suicidal thoughts and had placed a knife to her wrist after raping him and his wife and then physically harming a baby, as well. Philpot told the police that Julia would admit to everything.
Turns out, she did admit to everything outside of the residence that morning, saying everything Philpot had said was true. She said she felt hopeless, and she agreed to be transported to a hospital for further evaluation.
Meanwhile, Philpot’s wife and Julia’s sister, Ashley, reported to police that indeed Julia had thrown the child after the child was screaming, but feared reporting it because it may reflect badly on her and her husband. The baby seemed fine with only a bruise to the baby’s head and scratch to the baby’s stomach area. Emergency medical personnel suggested further evaluation, so Charles transported the baby to a hospital to do so.
In the meantime, the sister-in-law, Julia began having some second-thoughts about admitting to everything, as what turns out later to be a scheme cooked up to get Charles out of hot water for throwing the child after awaking to it screaming and not taking to the bottle he attempted to feed the baby. In fact, now she claimed Charles raped her, not the other way around.
In the end, Charles admitted to police that he got angry. The child was crying, and he was trying to feed the baby. Nonetheless, the baby would not swallow and continued to cry. Charles said later, “I was frustrated. I was a little angry. I done it.” He went on to admit, “I scratched the baby. I tossed the baby on the couch. ” When asked on a scale of one to ten with ten being the most force, how hard did he throw the infant? Charles replied, “a five.” He further explained that his wife, Ashley, was sitting on the couch when he threw the child and she had told him to calm down. Ashley later said to police that “the baby had been thrown five to six feet onto the couch.”
Ashley also admitted to lying to police initially about her sister, Julia, raping the couple and injuring the child. She also went on to say that, “Charles, Julia, and herself had participated together in a consensual sexual intercourse.” Police were also told by Ashley that the idea to video the sexual encounter was her idea. According to Indiana Code, though, a person eighteen years of age or older who engages in sexual intercourse or other sexual conduct with another person, when the person knows that the other person is related to the person biologically as a parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew, commits incest, a Level 5 felony.
All three adults were subsequently arrested for the following crimes:
Charles Phillip Philpot, age 24, of Worthington was arrested for domestic battery against a family member less than 14 years old, neglect of a dependent, false informing. Bond was set at $21,000 with ten percent allowed.
Ashley Marie Burris, age 20, of Worthington was arrested for neglect of a dependent, false informing, and incest. Bond was set at $21,000 with ten percent allowed.
Julia Aaron Egan, age 18, of Worthington was arrested for incest, a Level 5 felony charge. Bond was set at $10,000 with ten percent allowed. Bond was paid.
With all the twists and turns in everyone’s story, let us not forget about the child injured, too. As for the baby, the initial hospital evaluation revealed a minor closed-head injury, a concussion, a single right rib fracture, and a single contusion to the forehead. The baby was later transferred to pediatric specialists for additional examination.
The reader is cautioned that allegations are simply that until proven otherwise in a court of law; therefore, the person(s) shown as arrested for the charges listed above should be considered innocent until proven guilty.